The News
Emirates continues to add new routes despite aircraft delivery setbacks, with the airline incurring costs and extending the lifespan of its fleet to compensate for the delays, a senior executive said.
The world’s largest long-haul carrier has staked its future on the Boeing 777X — ordering 205 units of the jet, which was expected to enter service in 2020 but has yet to be certified. Emirates has sought compensation from Boeing for the delays, as stipulated in their agreement, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer Adel Al Redha told reporters on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit in Dubai. The airline is adjusting schedules and using Airbus A350s — 12 are expected by August — to sustain expansion.
As one of Dubai’s largest employers, the airline is a key pillar of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, launched in 2023 to double the emirates’s economy by 2033, and is tasked with boosting tourism and expanding connectivity. To stay competitive with Gulf peers and Turkish Airlines, Emirates is investing $4 billion to retrofit its A380s and older-generation 777 jets.