Emirates is investing some USD 5 bn to upgrade its fleet amid delivery delays

Emirates Airlines to invest big in retrofitting existing aircraft: Emirates is investing nearly USD 5 bn in cash to upgrade its existing aircraft — including Airbus A380 jumbo and Boeing’s 777 — in a bid to hedge against deliveries of backlogged orders, Bloomberg reports, quoting President Tim Clark as saying. The airline is retrofitting aircraft and equipping them with new cabin interiors and tech upgrades to extend the life span of the models at its engineering complexes in Dubai.

Going rogue? “We’ve had to take control of our own destiny,” Clark added, indicating that Emirates is also mulling the idea of evaluating an order of the Airbus 350-1000 model, but said that the engine supplier — Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc — needs to ensure its reliability and engine performance before Emirates make a final decision.

Sounds familiar? Clark slammed Boeing for the delays back in October, stressing UAE-based airline has “had to make significant and highly expensive amendments to [its] fleet programmes as a result of Boeing’s multiple contractual shortfalls.”

REMEMBER- Boeing pushed back delivery dates of its new 777x aircraft in October, with first delivery of its 777-9 airplane forecasted to be in 2026 and its 777-8 freighter aircraft in 2028. Emirates is expecting not to receive the first batch of Boeing 777x jets in 2026 after deliveries have been postponed several times over the past couple of years. The company’s backlogged orderbook of the model family is reportedly over 200 jets.