Dubai: Big orders roll in
The Dubai Air Show saw some huge widebody orders, with Boeing grabbing the headline by officially launching the 777X on the back of 259 orders from four airlines worth almost US$100 billion at book prices.
The bulk of these were from Emirates with firm orders for 150 777Xs, consisting of 115 of the -9X versions and 35 -8Xs. The deal also includes purchase rights on a further 50 777Xs. Qatar Airways and Etihad ordered an additional 50 and 25 respectively. Etihad will take 17 777-9X versions and eight -8Xs. Etihad’s order also includes options and purchase rights for 12 additional 777Xs.
The other launch customer is Lufthansa, with an order for 34 777-9Xs.
Etihad also ordered 30 787-10s, which when added to the 41 787-9s on order, will make the Abu Dhabi-based operator the largest operator of the 787 with a total of 71 Dreamliners. The deal includes options and purchase rights for an additional 12 787-10s and includes the 1,000th order for the 787 family since All Nippon Airways launched the programme in 2004. Etihad also order one 777 freighter.
Airbus, meanwhile, received a much needed boost to its A380 programme, with an Emirates order for 50 aircraft.
The order takes Emirates’ total commitment to the A380 program to 140 firm orders – almost half of the total order book for the type and more than half of the backlog. The carrier currently has 39 in service. The total orderbook now stands at 309 units.
Etihad, meanwhile, placed an order for 50 Airbus A350 XWBs and one A330-200 freighter. The European manufacturer also signed a deal with Qatar Airways for five new Airbus A330-200 freighters, plus eight options. The carrier already has three of the type.
