Emirates seeking to remain the world's top airline
Emirates Airlines' fleet could be boosted to reach 450 planes by 2019, says its President HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
"We may have 450-500 aircraft by 2019. It goes with the expansion of the airport. The new airport terminal opening at Dubai International is twice as big as Heathrow's Terminal 5. The airport will handle 40 million passengers this year and, at the moment, it only has a capacity of 20 million," Sheikh Ahmed, who is also Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Department, said in the final session of the Global Travel & Tourism Summit, concluded today in Dubai.
The session was moderated by Nik Keith Gowing, main presenter on the BBC's international news and current affairs channel, BBC World.
"We have ordered more than 50 A380s and maybe we will buy even more. I believe they will be excellent for the type of routes we operate - short-haul as well as long-haul." Sheikh Ahmed insisted that the airlines received no subsidies from the government.
"The fact that Emirates is government - owned does not mean that I'm getting my fuel cheaper than anyone else. We have to hedge like everyone else and we do not get subsidies. We are not a charity - we have to make money," he added.
He also said that Emirates was seeking to remain the world's top airline.
"It's sometimes easy to reach the top but it's more difficult to stay there. We need to keep up a fast growth pace or others will catch us up." WAM
"We may have 450-500 aircraft by 2019. It goes with the expansion of the airport. The new airport terminal opening at Dubai International is twice as big as Heathrow's Terminal 5. The airport will handle 40 million passengers this year and, at the moment, it only has a capacity of 20 million," Sheikh Ahmed, who is also Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Department, said in the final session of the Global Travel & Tourism Summit, concluded today in Dubai.
The session was moderated by Nik Keith Gowing, main presenter on the BBC's international news and current affairs channel, BBC World.
"We have ordered more than 50 A380s and maybe we will buy even more. I believe they will be excellent for the type of routes we operate - short-haul as well as long-haul." Sheikh Ahmed insisted that the airlines received no subsidies from the government.
"The fact that Emirates is government - owned does not mean that I'm getting my fuel cheaper than anyone else. We have to hedge like everyone else and we do not get subsidies. We are not a charity - we have to make money," he added.
He also said that Emirates was seeking to remain the world's top airline.
"It's sometimes easy to reach the top but it's more difficult to stay there. We need to keep up a fast growth pace or others will catch us up." WAM
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