Boeing has landed a large order from Emirates for its 787-10 aircraft. The surprise order was announced on the opening day of the Dubai Air Show, and was for 40 aircraft with deliveries beginning in 2022. A decision on which manufacturer will supply the engines has yet to be made, but should be announced soon. Emirates stated that some of the new 787-10’s would be used to replace older aircraft, including some of the carriers early Boeing 777’s, and others will be used for fuel future growth.
The decision to buy the 787-10 came 4 years after Emirates cancelled an order it had placed for 70 Airbus A350 aircraft. Emirates is also the launch customer for the Boeing 777X, with an order for 150 aircraft. Airbus is hoping to announce a new order from Emirates for more of its troubled A380 aircraft at this years Dubai Air Show, with negotiations still in progress. Airbus is also currently struggling with problems involving the Pratt & Whitney engines used on its A320-NEO aircraft. Several of those airplanes have been assembled, but cannot be delivered because there are no engines available for installation.
Emirates will also be introducing a new first class cabin on its new Boeing 777 aircraft. The new offering was on display aboard its newest Boeing 777-300ER, which was delivered on the first day of the Dubai Air Show. The new first class features six fully enclosed cabins with sliding doors. The larger suites resulted in a decrease of first class capacity from 8 to 6, and are configured in 2 rows of 3 across. The center suites feature virtual windows, which show an outside camera view live through screens on the sidewalls. The new first class product will be available on 9 777-300ER’s by the end of 2019.
