Chair of Emirates Tim Clark, who has a holiday home in Waterford, said the company is interested in expanding its Airbus order and continues to evaluate a future order for A350-1000s as it copes with Boeing’s delayed certification efforts of the B777X programme.
Clark said that Emirates remains “expansionist” but is frustrated because it needs new aircraft as soon as possible, and Boeing is unable to resolve its issues.
Tim Clark said at the delivery ceremony for Emirates first A350-900: “before committing and filing an order for the A350-1000, Airbus and Rolls-Royce must also resolve the durability issues of the Trent XWB-97 engines. As soon as they have those issues resolved and can prove that we are ready to have a conversation.”
Emirates’ new A350 aircraft will launch its first flight to Edinburgh from Dubai on 3 January 2025. Initially scheduled for earlier routes, delivery delays meant the first A350 was only received recently.
Future destinations for the A350 include Mumbai, Kuwait, Bahrain, and more, with dates to be confirmed and further destinations planned that are up to 15 hours from Dubai.
The new A350 features advanced business class seats, premium economy, and improved inflight technology, three spacious cabin classes, accommodating 312 passengers in 32 next-generation Business Class lie-flat seats, 21 Premium Economy seats and 259 generously pitched Economy Class seats. The latest onboard products reflect the airline’s commitment to delivering a premium passenger experience while optimising operational efficiency.
Apart from its newly delivered A350, Emirates operates two other aircraft types around the world to 140 destinations – the widebody Boeing 777 aircraft and the double decker Airbus A380 aircraft.
Emirates says the A350’s introduction will enable the airline to expand into new destinations globally, including mid-sized airports unsuited for larger aircraft. The Emirates A350 will be delivered in two versions – one for regional routes and one for ultra long-haul routes.
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group shared: “Today is an exciting milestone for Emirates as we showcase our first A350 and usher in a new era for our fleet and network growth. This aircraft sets the stage for Emirates to spread its wings farther by offering added range, efficiency and flexibility to our network, enabling us to meet customer demand in new markets and unlock new opportunities in the cities that we serve. Onboard, our updated interiors and seating configurations will help us deliver a more elevated and comfortable experience to travellers across every cabin class. The 65 Emirates A350s joining our fleet in the coming years fit into the airline’s broader plans to support our visionary leadership’s Dubai’s D33 Strategy, which will transform the city into a pivotal hub in the global economy by expanding its connectivity and reach.”
Phillipe Mhun, Executive Vice President Programmes & Services for Airbus shared: “We are proud to further expand our strategic partnership with Emirates which has flourished nearly 4 decades ago with the A300, the A330, the A340 and the A380. Marking a new chapter for Airbus, we expect the A350 to become an integral member of the Emirates’ fleet and support its continued growth and sustainability ambitions.”
Omar Ali Adib, SVP Customer – Middle East and Africa for Rolls-Royce, shared: “The collaborative effort between Emirates, Airbus and Rolls-Royce exemplifies what can be achieved when we share a commitment to excellence and build a long-term partnership that makes us all stronger. With our £1bn investment in durability across our Trent engine family, we are committed to continuing to evolve and improve in the years ahead.”
