Record Emirates A380 order boosts airport projects

Emirates placed an order for 32 more A380 superjumbo passenger jets. Photo supplied by Airbus

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Emirates Airline has placed an $11.5bn order for 32 more Airbus A380 superjumbo aircraft, the biggest single order of the flagship airliner to date.

Emirates already has an order placed for 58 A380s with Airbus, and the extra 32 brings its total to 90 – making it the largest single operator of the gigantic aircraft in the world. Of the 234 orders placed with Airbus of the A380, 40% are destined to wear Emirate’s airline livery.

Emirates Airlines has the largest current fleet of A380s in operation. Of the 30 aircraft in commission with airlines such as Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Air France and Lufthansa, Emirates has 10 A380s flying between its home hub of Dubai to London, Toronto, Paris, Jeddah, Bangkok, Seoul, Sydney and Auckland.

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The agreement was signed in a ceremony yesterday at the Berlin Air Show witnessed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, by Emirates Airline Group Chairman and CEO His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, and Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders.

“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. Our latest commitment signals Emirates’ confidence in the growth to come in a thriving aviation sector,” said H.H.Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al- Maktoum.

“Emirates has supported the development of the A380 from the earliest days, and today’s order - the single largest A380 order ever - is the best endorsement I can imagine. On behalf of all of us at Airbus, we thank Emirates for their confidence and support. The A380 is indeed a remarkable eco-efficient aircraft, a profit generator for airlines and a great flying experience for passengers,” said Tom Enders.

Expansion projects are underway at airports throughout the GCC to cope with an anticipated exponential growth in visitor numbers and cargo over the next decade. Recognising that establishing a hub – backed by an international brand – was a strong tool for development, Dubai with Emirates, Abu Dhabi with Etihad and Qatar with Qatar Airways have ploughed billions of dollars into their respective aviation markets. Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman too have established strong regional hubs and are continuing to modernise their airport infrastructure to cope with double-digit growth in cargo and passenger demand.

Emirate’s base, Al Maktoum International airport – part of the massive US $33 billion Dubai World Central project – is set to open its first phase on June 27 for cargo. When complete, it will be able to handle 160 million passengers a year, making it one of the world’s largest airports. Hangar space and specialised gates with double deck passenger gantries have already been built to cater for anticipated growth in Emirate’s fleet of A380s.