Gulf airlines underlined their status as powerful forces in global aviation on Sunday by unveiling blockbuster deals to buy passenger jets valued at more than $140bn.
Emirates Airlines, the fast-growing Dubai-based carrier, led the way by making a preliminary commitment to buy 150 Boeing 777X long-range jets in a deal that should become the US manufacturer’s largest single commercial aircraft order, worth $55.6bn at catalogue price.
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Boeing also secured large deals with Qatar Airways and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways at the Dubai air show, which started on Sunday.
Emirates, which has the biggest wide-body passenger jet fleet in the world, provided a much-needed boost for Airbus by agreeing to buy 50 additional A380 superjumbos.
The aircraft deals highlighted how these three state-controlled Gulf carriers, founded between 1985 and 2003, have become some of the fastest-growing airlines in the world, putting pressure on longer established western rivals.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Emirates’ chief executive, forecast that Dubai World Central, the location of Dubai’s new hub, would become the largest airport city in the world.
He highlighted how Dubai was acting as a hub linking east and west, saying: “In recent years much of the action in global aviation has shifted to the Middle East because countries like United Arab Emirates and Qatar have tapped into our geographic advantage to build new air transport connections for the world.”
He also said Emirates was now encountering less resistance in its efforts to secure landing rights at airports in Europe and the US, but suggested that some countries still wanted to protect their airlines in the face of the Gulf carriers’ expansion.
Emirates, Qatar and Etihad plan to be launch customers for Boeing’s 777X, which should enter service at the end of the decade and be more fuel efficient than the existing wide-body 777 jet partly because it is due to have new engines.
Qatar made a commitment to buy 50 777X jets, while Etihad is placing an order for 25 of these aircraft.
Etihad is also buying an additional 30 Dreamliners from Boeing. It means the carrier has placed more orders for this aircraft than any other airline because it has agreed to buy 71 in total.
Flydubai, the Dubai-based short-haul carrier, made a commitment to buy 86 narrow-body aircraft from Boeing.
It meant that in total during Sunday, Boeing announced passenger jet sales worth $101.2bn at catalogue price.
However, the Gulf carriers are expected to secure significant discounts on their proposed aircraft purchases, particularly in relation to the 777X, because it will be a new jet.
Airbus unveiled passenger jet sales worth $39bn at catalogue price, and drew particular comfort from Emirates’ commitment to buy 50 A380s.
Airbus has not secured any orders for the A380 so far this year, blaming reduced demand mainly on the economic downturn, but the European manufacturer is hoping Emirates’ commitment will be converted into a contract shortly.
Etihad placed orders with Airbus for 86 passenger jets, including 50 A350 widebody aircraft, the European manufacturer’s answer to the Dreamliner and 777X.
One of the biggest constraints on the Gulf carriers’ growth is whether their hubs can cope with ambitious fleet expansion.
Emirates is evaluating whether to move from Dubai International airport to Dubai World Central, which could enable it to accommodate more A380s and 777s. The carrier is the largest operator of the A380 and 777.
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