DUBAI, 19 June 2007 — As part of huge expansion plans, Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways have signed contracts with Airbus company to increase their fleet.
Emirates Airline has signed an agreement to buy eight additional A380 aircraft, taking their total order for the aircraft to 55.
The letter of intent was signed at the 47th International Paris Air Show at le Bourget between Sheikh Ahmed ibn Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman, Emirates Group and Louis Gallois, Airbus president and CEO. The A380 fleet will start delivery in the third quarter of 2008.
“Today, we’ve signaled our intent to buy eight more A380 aircraft, taking our total order to 55. This should leave no one in any doubt about our commitment to Airbus’ very large aircraft. The A380 will offer our customers the latest standards in comfort and Emirates Airline new standards of operational efficiency,” said Sheikh Ahmed ibn Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman, Emirates Group.
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways has signed a contract for the purchase of 80 of the all-new Airbus A350 XWB aircraft and also placed an order for a further three A380s, bringing their total order for the type to five. The agreement was signed at the Paris Air Show between Akbar Al-Baker, Qatar Airways chief executive officer and Louis Gallois.
The 80 A350 XWBs include 20 A350 XWB-800s, 40 A350 XWB-900s and 20 of the largest in the family, the A350 XWB-1000. Deliveries will begin in 2013. Qatar Airways will use the A350 XWBs to complement and subsequently replace its A330s on regional and long haul routes.
In another move, Kuwait- and Dubai-based Jazeera Airways, has signed a contract for the purchase of 30 Airbus A320 aircraft. The agreement quadruples the number of aircraft Jazeera Airways has ordered from Airbus to 40 A320s.
The agreement was signed at a ceremony at the Paris Air Show.