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Emirates Signs $12.5 Billion Euro Order for 41 Airbuses
Emirates signed here yesterday an order for 41 new Airbus aircraft,
comprising 21 A380s, 18 A340-600s and two A340-500s. Additionally,
the carrier inked a leasing agreement with ILFC for two A340-600s
and two A380s.
"We like the go-anywhere flexibility of the four-engined
A340-500, and -600 which will take the world's longest routes
in their strides," said Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin
Saeed Al-Maktoum. "We are excited by the economics and the
ability to carry more passengers in the A380. In fact, we could
use some right now," he added.
Emirates expects to operate the first A380s by the spring of 2009.
The A-340-500s will be delivered by the end of 2004, while the
A340-600s are scheduled for July 2007.
Emirates has become Airbus's largest Middle East based customer,
with 110 aircraft ordered. Previously announced orders added six
A340-500s and 22 A380s-including two freighters-to this count.
"Airbus has been Emirates' partner in growth and success
for almost two decades," said Airbus CEO Noel Forgeard.
Emirates has chosen an A340-600 version with additional payload/range
flexibility via an increased 376-ton maximum takeoff weight (MTOW).
Emirate's A340-500 and 600 will seat around 260 and 310 passengers
respectively. The A340-500 will open new nonstop routes from Dubai
to Australia and the U.S. East Coast. Later, A340-600s will replace
them on these and some Asian routes-with the A340-500s then flying
even longer sectors.
Emirates plans to operate three versions of the A380, with 500-600
seats each. It will initially deploy them on its busiest trunk
routes to Europe and Asia, but as traffic grows most of its network
will eventually be served by the superjumbos. By sharing the same
basic cockpit in all new types, Emirates can benefit from savings
in pilot training and greater scheduling flexibility.
Airbus reports almost 800 confirmed orders from more than 60 customers
for A330/340 family, and 116 orders from eight customers for the
A380. Malaysian and Qatar Airways have also committed to buy eight
A380s, but these haven't been included in the official count yet.
By Tamir
Eshel
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