Emirates Airline aims to build a fleet of 180 aircraft flying to more than 110 destinations that could make it the world's largest international carrier by 2015.
Huge capital outlays for retrofits, and possible orders for up to 100 Airbus A350s or Boeing 787s in addition to 10 or more Boeing 747-8I aircraft means Emirates is continuing a multi-billion dollar push.
The airline is spending hundreds of millions of dollars upgrading its first, business and economy classes in its Boeing 777s in a bid to offer a more attractive product to customers and create a more fuel efficient and profitable airline.
Chief executive Tim Clark told local and international media, during a demo flight of its new Boeing 777-300 ER Ultra Long Range above Dubai yesterday, that it is spending $10 million to $14 million retrofitting each 777 aircraft.
New custom designed, lighter seats will allow the plane to fly farther while new technology, at a cost of between $10,000 to $15,000 per seat, will ensure passengers have the full range of options under its ICE entertainment system.
In addition, Emirates' love affair with the Airbus A380 remains unabated.
Clark said he would gladly double Emirates A380 order if he were not constrained by the number of contact gates at Dubai International. It was infrastructure, rather than financing, that has kept Emirates' A380 at 55, he said. The airline's cashflow has steadily improved, he said, and negated any immediate need for debt financing.
Emirates' 55 A380s is the maximum number that can be accommodated with the 27 contact gates the airport is building for the double-decker superjumbo. "We'd take 100 if the airport could handle it," he said. He added that the airplane's capabilities are "morphing," as the test flights by Airbus has revealed greater range and payloads.
But the A380 has yet to prove itself as having the range for the American West Coast.
Clark said he is considering buying 10 or more 747-8 Intercontinental passenger aircraft to serve Los Angeles, San Francisco and points in South America.
"The 747-8I is not quite right yet," Clark said. Emirates engineers are attempting to solve this shortcoming over a number of ways, he said.
One solution is if Boeing designed a slighter lighter version of the 747-8I.
Emirates will also ask for new flyover rights over Russia that would shorten its course to the West Coast.
It is also considering flying at a slower speeds and reassessing average windspeeds on the route, all in an effort to justify a 747 purchase. Source
Huge capital outlays for retrofits, and possible orders for up to 100 Airbus A350s or Boeing 787s in addition to 10 or more Boeing 747-8I aircraft means Emirates is continuing a multi-billion dollar push.
The airline is spending hundreds of millions of dollars upgrading its first, business and economy classes in its Boeing 777s in a bid to offer a more attractive product to customers and create a more fuel efficient and profitable airline.
Chief executive Tim Clark told local and international media, during a demo flight of its new Boeing 777-300 ER Ultra Long Range above Dubai yesterday, that it is spending $10 million to $14 million retrofitting each 777 aircraft.
New custom designed, lighter seats will allow the plane to fly farther while new technology, at a cost of between $10,000 to $15,000 per seat, will ensure passengers have the full range of options under its ICE entertainment system.
In addition, Emirates' love affair with the Airbus A380 remains unabated.
Clark said he would gladly double Emirates A380 order if he were not constrained by the number of contact gates at Dubai International. It was infrastructure, rather than financing, that has kept Emirates' A380 at 55, he said. The airline's cashflow has steadily improved, he said, and negated any immediate need for debt financing.
Emirates' 55 A380s is the maximum number that can be accommodated with the 27 contact gates the airport is building for the double-decker superjumbo. "We'd take 100 if the airport could handle it," he said. He added that the airplane's capabilities are "morphing," as the test flights by Airbus has revealed greater range and payloads.
But the A380 has yet to prove itself as having the range for the American West Coast.
Clark said he is considering buying 10 or more 747-8 Intercontinental passenger aircraft to serve Los Angeles, San Francisco and points in South America.
"The 747-8I is not quite right yet," Clark said. Emirates engineers are attempting to solve this shortcoming over a number of ways, he said.
One solution is if Boeing designed a slighter lighter version of the 747-8I.
Emirates will also ask for new flyover rights over Russia that would shorten its course to the West Coast.
It is also considering flying at a slower speeds and reassessing average windspeeds on the route, all in an effort to justify a 747 purchase. Source
No comments:
Post a Comment