Sheikh Mohammed briefed on Airbus jets

hamburg - He toured an Airbus plant in the German province of Hamburg

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, toured the Airbus plant in the German province of Hamburg.

Sheikh Mohammed's tour of the factory premises started in the department dedicated to the assembly of basic components of the short- and mid-range A320 commercial aircraft. The Hamburg plant specialises in manufacturing these planes along with the A380.

Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates airline and Group, and Khalifa Saeed Soliman, director-general of Dubai Protocol.

Sheikh Mohammed was shown parts of the A380. He saw the process of installing interiors of the A380. He was given a firsthand experience of the work by specialists in painting the aircraft with the colours of Emirates, whose fleet includes 96 A380s. It is expected to reach 100 by November this year. In 2025, the number of A380 planes at Emirates is set to reach 142.

During the tour, Sheikh Mohammed was briefed on the interior design of the A380 fleet and its exterior painting by Andreas Fehring, head of Airbus plant Hamburg, and Andreas Foerster, chairman of Airbus Group.

The two officials said the Toulouse-based AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe produces 14 A380s annually. Manufacturing one such plane requires one year and costs $400 million. They said Emirates is Airbus' foremost partner, paying tribute to the company's commitment to timeframes of delivery and receipt deadlines. They praised Sheikh Mohamed for modernising the company's fleet.

The Ruler of Dubai expressed his satisfaction on touring the Hamburg plant and getting briefed on the latest technologies adopted in arranging and finishing A380s. He praised the commitment displayed by the two companies to all terms and conditions related to the dates of delivery and provision of all means of comfort, luxury and safety for passengers.

He also commended Sheikh Ahmed's efforts and his follow-up of all details related to the modernisation of Emirates' fleet.

"I'm delighted with my visit to the Airbus plant in Hamburg after my first visit to the A380 Airbus plant in Toulous in the 1990s. During that time, I was briefed on the mechanism of work at the plant's different departments and technologies used in the aviation industry which helps shorten distances between people of the universe and brings closer world cultures, helping inculcate principles of human, cultural, tourist and trade continuity and co-existence between peace-loving people," Sheikh Mohammed added. - Wam