Regional aviation giants — as well as international firms — have inked several agreements with manufacturers during the first day of the Dubai Airshow. The agreements cover jet and engine orders from major manufacturers, including Boeing and GE Aerospace.

EMIRATES-

Emirates cements its top customer status at Boeing with USD 38 bn order: Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates has tapped aircraft manufacturer Boeing to acquire 65 jets of the 777-9 model — in an order valued at USD 38 bn, according to a statement. Boeing will start making deliveries on the order starting 2Q 2027, Emirates Chairman Ahmed Saeed Al Maktoum said.

The order will be powered by GE Aerospace’s GE9X engines, with Emirates locking in an agreement for 130 units from the engine maker — bringing its orderbook of this engine model to 540 units in total.

Firing up Emirates orderbook: Already boasting a massive fleet of 269 jets, the carrier also has an equally mighty orderbook for 367 jets — 315 widebody models from Boeing (including this order) and 52 Airbus A350-900s.

The move supports Boeing’s feasibility study to develop its new 777-10 model — a larger version of its current 777X family — with Emirates signing up for options to convert its latest 777-9 order into the awaited 777-10 or the 777-8, Al Maktoum added.

A boon for Boeing’s 777x: Emirates’ mega order gives Boeing’s orderbook of the model a timely boost after it received regulatory approval to resume halted testing flights, bringing the jet-maker closer to the needed certifications. The widebody family, the 777X — first unveiled at the Dubai Airshow in November 2013 — has seen its first commercial delivery pushed back into 2027, instead of 2020, due to a series of production and certification setbacks.

REFRESHER- Delays in the model’s production have cost Boeing an upwards of USD 15 bn in charges, frustrating airlines that secured early orders for the widebody model. Emirates President Tim Clark has been vocal about the inconvenience the late deliveries have caused, as they pushed the company to invest in a costly retrofit program to extend the lifespan of its current fleet.

But Boeing is confident this time: The company remains hopeful of meeting its deadline this time, and is actively reassuring its customers and pledging transparency in case of any further delays, Reuters reported, citing Boeing’s Commercial Segment CEO Stephanie Pope.

REMEMBER- Airbus is also in the ring for an Emirates order: Airbus has also been linked to talks with Emirates for the purchase of its A350 model, despite Emirates President Tim Clark’s earlier criticism of Airbus’ engines — with reports speculating a possible Airbus order during Dubai Airshow.

FLYDUBAI-

Dubai budget carrier flydubai tapped GE Aerospace for an order of 60 GEnx-1B engines — set to power the airline’s first widebody fleet ordered back in 2023, according to a statement. The agreement includes spare engines and long-term service contracts to support flydubai’s launch of long-haul operations.

More to come from the budget airline? Flydubai is expected to announce an order consisting of 200 narrow-body planes with an option for 100 more, at this week’s Dubai Airshow. Separate reports from Bloomberg and Reuters suggested that Airbus and Boeing are both in the lead to land the majority of an order for up to 300 jets from flydubai.

UPDATES FROM AFRICAN CARRIERS-

#1- Ethiopian Airlines is acquiring 11 additional 737 Max jets from Boeing, according to a press release. The airline already operates 167 aircraft and has 64 more on order, marking the largest Boeing backlog in Africa, according to its website. The move aims to help the Ethiopian carrier expand its regional and international networks.

#2- Air Senegal has signed up to order nine Boeing 737 Max planes, with options to purchase six more, according to a press release. The West African carrier is aiming to expand its network in Europe and launch new routes from Dakar to the Middle East and the Americas.

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