Emirates announced on Thursday that it will acquire an additional 15 Airbus A350-900s, amounting to $6 billion, following a public dispute with the European manufacturer during the Dubai Airshow. This order, smaller than anticipated, came after Emirates and its sister carrier FlyDubai made a substantial $63 billion purchase of Boeing aircraft earlier in the week amid the global travel recovery post-COVID-19.
Emirates has now ordered a total of 65 A350 aircraft. Earlier in the week, Emirates President Tim Clark expressed reservations about a major A350 purchase, citing concerns about the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines on the A350-1000 and their maintenance requirements in Dubai’s hot and desert conditions. Rolls-Royce contested Clark’s comments vigorously.
The recent order involves the A350-900 series, equipped with a different engine. The statement released by Emirates, also quoting Airbus, did not explicitly mention the engine dispute. Notably, the airline and the manufacturer did not hold a news conference to discuss the purchase during the Dubai Airshow.
Statement of Emirates Chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Emirates Chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum stated, “We plan to deploy our A350s to serve a range of new markets, including long-haul missions of up to 15 hours flying time from Dubai. We will work closely with Airbus and Rolls-Royce to ensure our aircraft deliver the best possible operating efficiency and flying experience for our customers.”
For Airbus, this deal represents a noteworthy achievement in a show largely dominated by Boeing. Airbus recently discontinued its iconic A380, a mainstay in Emirates’ fleet.
Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer remarked in the statement, “With this agreement, we mark another solid step forward in the long-standing relationship agreement between Emirates and Airbus.”