Emirates airline returns to Paris Airshow after 15 years

After an over 15-year hiatus, Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, is participating in the 55th edition of the International Paris Airshow. The Dubai carrier is showcasing its newest aircraft – the Airbus A350 – featuring the airline’s next-generation cabin design, latest interiors, and technologies.

Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates airline, said: “We’re pleased to be at the Paris Airshow, showcasing the very best of air travel on one of the most important platforms in the aerospace exhibition calendar. Coming back to France’s most important aerospace show demonstrates how committed Emirates is to supporting the country’s aviation industry - not just through our day-to-day operations, but through ongoing investments across the entire aerospace supply chain.”

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The airline serves Paris with 21 weekly flights, including 3 daily A380 flights; a daily A380 service to Nice; and a daily A350 flight to Lyon. Emirates is the first and only international airline to operate an A380 to Nice Côte d´Azur Airport.

For over 30 years, Emirates has played a key role in expanding France’s aviation sector and enhancing trade and tourism flows. Key Emirates investments in France over the last three decades include:

Emirates’ A350 and A380 purchases have supported thousands of jobs at Airbus, Safran, Thales as well as other parts of the aerospace value chain in France.   

Since its inception in 1985, Emirates has invested more than €114 billion ($130 billion) to purchase 254 Airbus aircraft including the, A300, A310, A330, A340-300, A340-500, A380 and A350 aircraft. The airline is a key customer for French aerospace manufacturers, sourcing Michelin tyres, Safran aircraft components and seating, and Thales avionics systems, among other parts to support its fleet.

In 2023, the airline announced a series of contracts with Safran, worth over €1.0 billion combined. This includes a €896 million deal for the latest generation Safran seats for Emirates’ new fleet of Airbus A350, Boeing 777X-9 and existing Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

The airline has also invested over €322 million in Thales’ AVANT Up system for its new A350 aircraft.

Emirates SkyCargo offers cargo capacity to customers in France on a weekly rotation between Dubai World Central (DWC), Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Lyon Saint-Exupery airports. The UAE is France’s largest export partner in the Middle East.

Emirates directly contributes over €189 million to the French economy each year through operational expenditures such as fuel uplift, over-flight charges, inflight catering, aircraft landing and handling fees, crew layover, staff salaries, advertising, and sponsorship.

By the end of this year, the Emirates A350 is expected to serve 17 destinations. The airline has welcomed 7 A350 aircraft with 58 more units to join its fleet over the coming years.

Somshankar Bandyopadhyay

Somshankar Bandyopadhyay is a News Editor with close to three decades of experience. Currently, he manages the business section, ensuring that the top economic and business news of the day reaches its readers.

somshankar@khaleejtimes.com