Emirates gets four wide-body aircraft worth $1.5b same day

Dubai - Including the most recent deliveries, the total number of aircraft in the Emirates fleet stands at 238 with an average age of 6.5 years.

Emirates airline received record deliveries of four new wide-body aircraft worth $1.5 billion in one day that cemented its place in history not just as the biggest customer and operator of the 777 family, but it also signifies the dramatic growth in its business and fortunes since taking its first 777-200 back almost 20 years ago.
The event also marks the 150th Emirates Boeing 777 delivery milestone. The bumper delivery included two Boeing 777-300ERs, one Boeing 777 Freighter and one A380 aircraft. Emirates has received 14 new aircraft so far in 2015, which include nine A380s, four Boeing 777-300ERs and one Boeing 777 Freighter. During the same period, the airline retired eight aircraft, comprised of four A340-500s, three A330-200s and one Boeing 777-200.
Emirates is already the world's largest operator of the Boeing 777 and the A380. The A380 aircraft delivered this week brings the total number of this iconic double-decked aircraft in the Emirates fleet to 66. The additional three Boeing aircraft marks the 150th Emirates Boeing 777 delivery milestone, and takes the current Emirates 777 fleet size to 147.
Emirates received its first Boeing 777 in 1996, and has since retired three older 777 aircraft from service. With a range of up to 17,446 kilometres or 9,420 nautical miles, Emirates' Boeing 777s serve almost 100 destinations across six continents, enabling the airline to connect almost any two points on earth.
Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates airline, said: "The Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 are two of the most advanced, efficient, and spacious commercial aircraft in the skies today. They are the mainstay of the Emirates fleet, giving us versatility in our route planning, and also the ability to offer our customers the latest features and comforts onboard."
Including the most recent deliveries, the total number of aircraft in the Emirates fleet stands at 238 with an average age of 6.5 years, representing one of the youngest fleets in the skies. The airline has 270 additional aircraft on order, worth a total of $129 billion at list prices. Its order book includes 46 Boeing 777-300ERs, 115 Boeing 777-9Xs, 35 Boeing 777-8Xs and 74 Airbus A380s.
"Emirates has relied on the evolution of the 777 family, having operated all 6 variants to-date, it forms the backbone of their long haul operations. Indeed, if it were not for the 777 family, then Emirates would not have been able to launch new nonw-stop routes to the USA, Latin America or beyond," Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at London-based Strategic Aero Research, told Khaleej Times.
Ahmad added: "The extreme range and payload capabilities of the 777-200LR .. has allowed Emirates to launch the world's longest non-stop flight to Panama City from Dubai. Such feats would not have been achievable just over a decade ago, but it is the likes of the ground-breaking 777 that have allowed Emirates and other operators to open up markets that were not previously possible."
- abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai