Emirates Airline said it signed a massive order for 93 commercial aircraft with an option on 50 more at the opening of the Dubai Airshow on Sunday in deals worth over US$20 billion, reported ap. The contracts, which include firm orders for 78 Airbus and 12 Boeing airplanes as well as deals with engine manufacturers, are worth a total of US$23.4 billion (euro15.94 billion), Emirates said in a statement. The Dubai-based airlines said it was committing close to US$35 billion (euro23.84 billion) overall with these deals if an option for 50 additional planes is included. «Emirates is making aviation history,» chairman and chief executive Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum said in the statement. «This is the largest-ever aircraft commitment in civil aviation made by any airline in a single order,» he said. Firm orders include 70 Airbus A350 planes, with an option for 50 more. The first A350 will be delivered to Emirates in 2014, the statement said. The company also ordered another eight of Airbus' new superjumbo A380, the world's largest commercial jet. Emirates said it has passed a total of 58 firm orders, making it the biggest customer for the A380. It is expected to start taking delivery of the plane in August 2008. The contract with Boeing is for 12 firm orders of the 777-300ERs jets, valued at US$3.2 billion (euro 2.18 billion). With this new order, Emirates said it has 57 Boeing 777s pending delivery and will become the largest 777 operator in the coming years. Sheik Ahmed signed the contracts with Airbus Chief Executive Thomas Enders, and Lee Monson, vice president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes for the Middle East and Africa. Emirates said it also bought aircraft engines from Rolls Royce, Engine Alliance and GE Aviation. Emirates said its total order book now stands at 246 aircraft worth over US$60 billion (euro40.86 billion). «This is a massive investment which reflects our confidence in the future of air transport, and our confidence in Dubai,» the company said.
