The Malta Independent 17 May 2025, Saturday
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Emirates’ 80th Aircraft joins fleet

Malta Independent Saturday, 1 October 2005, 00:00 Last update: about 13 years ago

One of the world’s fastest growing airlines, Emirates saw its fleet touch the 80-mark with the arrival of a new Boeing 777-300ER (extended range).

The aircraft is Emirates’ fifth Boeing 777-300ER from a total of 30 that the airline has on firm order. The remaining 25 Boeing 777-300ERs will be added to the airline’s rapidly-expanding fleet by the end of 2007.

The wide-bodied, twin-aisle aircraft dubbed as one of the most advanced aircraft in the sky has been specially equipped to Emirates’ demanding standards. Its innovative on-board features include mood-lighting that helps reset body clocks and minimises jetlag; Emirates’ Information, Communication and Entertainment (ICE) system which offers over 500 channels of video, audio and games on demand; noise cancellation headsets; SMS and e-mail from one’s seat and in-seat five-zone massage system.

Ideal for long-haul routes, the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, sporting a 12 metre long Emirates logo on its underside, is currently operated on services from Dubai to Manila, and Dubai to Sydney and Auckland, via Bangkok. Later this year the aircraft will be introduced on routes to London Heathrow, Manchester, Glasgow, Johannesburg and Düsseldorf.

Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “Starting with just two leased aircraft – a Boeing 737 and an Airbus 300 B4 – Emirates has grown at a blistering pace, increasing its fleet to 80 aircraft in almost 20 years. Today Emirates operates one of the most modern fleets in the world, with an average aircraft age of only 55 months.”

“Intense demand for the airline’s services prompted Emirates to embark on an ambitious $30 billion fleet expansion,” added Mr Clark.

The Emirates fleet is forecasted to touch the 100-mark, thereby entering into triple digits for the very first time by the end of 2006.

Emirates’ impressive order book worth almost $30 billion in list prices consists of orders for 93 aircraft including 45 Airbus A380s (two of them freighters), 25 Boeing 777-300ERs, 20 Airbus A340-600 HGWs, one A340-500 and two A310-300F freighters.

As from today, the airline will fly from Malta to Dubai four times weekly via Larnaca, Cyprus, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, using an Airbus A330-200. The Malta route gives a convenient connection to outgoing and incoming passengers from Australia and the Far East.

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