Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, placed an order with Airbus for an additional 32 A380 aircraft taking the total firm order for the iconic flagship of the 21st century to 90 super-jumbos.
The order for the additional aircraft has a list price of $US 11.5 billion. The agreement was signed in Germany by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, and Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO, during a ceremony at the Berlin Air Show, which was witnessed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other dignitaries.
“This latest order, adding to 58 A380s previously ordered, affirms Emirates’ strategy to become a world leading carrier and to further establish Dubai as a central gateway to worldwide air travel. The A380 is our flagship in terms of passenger comfort, innovation, operating and environmental efficiency and revenue generation,” said H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum.
“Emirates supported the development of the A380 from the earliest days and today’s increased order is the best endorsement I can imagine. The A380 is indeed a remarkable eco-efficient aircraft, a profit generator for airlines and a great flying experience for passengers,” said Tom Enders.
Emirates, the second largest airline in the world in available seat kilometres, is on track to become one of the largest airlines in the world. In addition to the orders placed this week, Emirates has another 143 wide-body aircraft on order, worth more than $US 48 billion.
In a year where the aviation industry was rocked by the economic downturn, Emirates Airline recently reported its 22nd year of profit, up 416 per cent to close at US$ 964 million over its 2008-09 profits of US$ 187 million.
Emirates is now serving eight international destinations with the super-jumbo aircraft including London Heathrow, Toronto, Paris, Jeddah, Bangkok, Seoul, Sydney and Auckland.
Emirates looks forward to expanding the list of destinations at more than 100 airports around the world as A380s become ready.
Emirates flies on a daily schedule from Malta to Dubai via Larnaca, Cyprus.