Emirates's fleet features purely wide-body aircraft from three aircraft families: the Airbus A330/A340, Airbus A380 and the Boeing 777. In keeping with its policy of maintaining a young fleet, which stands at an average of 6.4 years in as of 21 December 2010,[1] it renews its fleet frequently. Emirates aircraft utilisation remained one of the highest in the industry at 18 hours per day.[2]
In July 2008, Emirates received its first Airbus A380-800 and within a month, became the second airline to fly the Airbus A380-800, after Singapore Airlines.[3]
Emirates has firm orders for 212 aircraft, and options for 50 more. In July 2010 its orders comprise of 212 aircraft from Airbus, including 80 Airbus A380-800s (15 delivered as of March 2011), and 63 Boeing aircraft. As of February 2009, the company had an order book of over $70 billion, comprising 212 firm orders, and 50 unconfirmed orders.[4]
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Emirates was conceived in March 1985 with backing from Dubai's royal family, whose Dubai Air Wing provided two of the airline's first aircraft, used Boeing 727-200/Advs. It also leased a new Boeing 737-300, as well as an Airbus 300B4-200,[5] from Pakistan International Airlines which was returned in 1987.[6] Emirates then launched daily nonstop service to London Gatwick on 6 July 1987 with two new Airbus A310s. By 1994 the airline had a fleet of 18 Airbus aircraft (all which have retired). Seven new Boeing 777s worth over US$1 billion were ordered in 1992, which began to arrive in the spring of 1996.
The planned phase out of Emirates' older widebodies started in February 2011, starting with the retirement of two Airbus A330-200s from its fleet. These aircraft were passed on to Virgin Australia (formerly Virgin Blue) after the expiration of Emirates' lease on them.
Emirates Airbus A300B4-200 fleet was retired from service by the end of 1987. Emirates Airbus A300-600Rs were retired in 2001 and replaced by Airbus A330-200s. Some were sold to Tunisair and others were sold to Lufthansa. The Boeing 727-200/Advs remained in service with Emirates for 9 years, and were sold in 1995. The Boeing 737-300 remained in service for two years from 1985 to 1987 and was returned to Pakistan International Airlines
The following is a list of aircraft that Emirates has operated since 1985, and are now no longer in the fleet.[7]
| Aircraft[2] | Total retired | Registration | Period in fleet | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300B4 | 1 | AP-BBM (Leased from PIA) | 1985–1987 | [8] |
| Airbus A300-600R | 6 | A6-EKC - A6-EKD - A6-EKE - A6-EKF - A6-EKM - A6-EKO | 1989–2001 | [8] |
| Airbus A310-300 | 9 | A6-EKA - A6-EKB - A6-EKG - A6-EKN - A6-EKH - A6-EKI - A6-EKJ - A6-EKK - A6-EKL | 1987–2004 | [9] |
| Airbus A310-300F | 2 | A6-EFA - A6-EFB | 2005–2009 | [9] |
| Airbus A330-200 | 2 | A6-EAB - A6-EAC | 2000–2011 | [10] |
| Boeing 727-200Adv | 3 | A6-EMA - A6-EMB - A6-EMC | 1986–1995 | [11] |
| Boeing 737-300 | 1 | AP-BCD (Leased from PIA) | 1985–1987 | [12] |
The Emirates fleet consists of the following widebody aircraft as of August 2011:[13][14][15]
| Aircraft | Total | Orders | Options | Engines | Passengers (First/Business/Economy) |
Routes (To and from Dubai) | Haul | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A330-200 | 27 | 0 | 0 | RR Trent 772B | 237 (12/42/183) 278 (0/27/251) |
Addis Ababa[From 25 March] |
Short - medium haul | 4 to be phased out during 2012 |
| Airbus A340-300 | 8 | 0 | 0 | CFM CFM56-5C | 267 (12/42/213) |
Accra – Abidjan[To 31 Jan] |
Short-Medium haul | All to be phased out during 2012 |
| Airbus A340-500 | 10 | 0 | 0 | RR Trent 553 | 258 (12/42/204) |
Accra – Abidjan[From 01 Feb to 31 July] |
Medium-Long haul | |
| Airbus A350-900 XWB | 0 | 50[16] | 50[17] | RR Trent XWB-84 | TBA | TBA | Medium haul | |
| Airbus A350-1000 XWB | 0 | 20 | 0 | RR Trent XWB-93 | TBA | TBA | Long haul | |
| Airbus A380-800 | 20 | 70 | 0 | EA GP7270 | 489 (14/76/399) 517 (14/76/427) |
Beijing Capital |
Short-Medium - Long haul | |
| Boeing 777-200 | 3 | 0 | 0 | RR Trent 877 | 346 (0/42/304) |
Bahrain |
Medium haul | |
| Boeing 777-200ER | 6 | 0 | 0 | RR Trent 892 | 290 (12/42/236) |
Amman |
Medium - Long haul | |
| Boeing 777-200LR | 10 | 0 | 0 | GE GE90-110B1 | 266 (8/42/216) |
Dallas[From 2 Feb] |
(Ultra -) Long haul | |
| Boeing 777-300 | 12 | 0 | 0 | RR Trent 892 | 364 (12/42/310) |
Amman |
Medium - Long haul | |
| Boeing 777-300ER | 64 | 87 | 0 | GE GE90-115B | 354 (8/42/304) 358 (12/42/304) 364 (12/42/310) 427 (0/42/385) 442 (0/42/400) |
Accra – Abidjan[From 01 August] |
Long haul | |
| Total | 160 | 227 | 50 | |||||
The airline made history at the Paris Air Show in June 2003 when it announced the biggest order ever in civil aviation. It was for 71 aircraft list-priced at a combined US$19 billion. The order included firm purchase orders for 21 more Airbus 380-800s and leasing orders for two A380-800s. Emirates also announced operating lease orders for 26 Boeing 777-300ERs – 14 from General Electric Capital Aviation Services and 12 from the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) – powered by General Electric GE90-115B engines.[18] On 16 November 2003, Emirates ordered 41 Airbus aircraft, comprising two A340-500s, 18 A340-600s and 21 A380-800s. In addition, Emirates will lease two A340-600s and two A380-800s from ILFC.
On 20 November 2005, Emirates announced firm orders for 42 Boeing 777 aircraft, to be powered by GE90 jet engines, in a deal worth Dhs 35.7 billion (USD9.7 billion) at list prices. This was the largest-ever order for the Boeing 777 family of aircraft and consists of: 24 Boeing 777-300ERs, 10 Boeing 777-200LR Worldliners and eight Boeing 777 Freighters, with the first aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2007. In addition, Emirates will have purchase rights for 20 more 777 aircraft.[19]
During the Farnborough Air Show in July 2006, Emirates signed a Heads of Agreement for 10 of Boeing 747-8F aircraft, to be powered by General Electric's GEnx jet engines, in a deal worth US$ 3.3 billion. On 31 October 2006, Emirates cancelled an order for 20 Airbus A340-600 aircraft, ending a delay in the delivery of the aircraft pending enhancements.[20]
On 7 May 2007 Emirates reaffirmed its order for 43 A380-800s and has committed to another four which brought its order to 47. On 18 June 2007, during the Paris Air Show, Emirates ordered eight additional A380-800s, bringing its total ordered to 55.[21]
Emirates, which was deciding between the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350, also stated it would decide on an order worth as much as US$20 billion for mid-sized planes by October 2007, and that the design of the Airbus A350 was closing in on Boeing's 787 Dreamliner. On 11 November 2007, during the Dubai Airshow, Emirates 120 Airbus A350s, with the first delivery set for 2014. A firm $16.1bn order for 70 planes has been made with an option for 50 more aircraft, at an additional cost of $11.5bn, in due course; the airline will mainly use the A350s on its European, African and Asian routes. The agreement with Airbus comprises firm orders for 50 A350-900s and 20 A350-1000s, plus 50 options of unknown variant(can be A350-900/A350-1000 or both).[22] On the same day Emirates has also upped its order for the Airbus A380-800 to 58 units, up from 49. Also, Emirates ordered 12 Boeing 777-300ERs. In total the deal was worth an estimated $34.9bn at list prices.[23]
On 28 July 2008 Emirates signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for 60 airbus aircraft compromising of 30 Airbus A350s plus 30 A330-300s. The agreement was signed between Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive Emirates and Group and Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO on the occasion of their first A380-800 delivery in Hamburg, Germany. At the 10th Dubai Airshow in 2007, Emirates signed a firm order for 70 A350s with an option for 50 more. The agreement includes the firming up of 30 of the Airbus A350 options and will eventually increase Emirates’ total order for the A350s to 100.[24] However in June 2010 the airline confirmed they have aborted a planned deal for 30 A330-300s and 30 more A350-1000s announced in July 2008 and are currently in talks with Boeing for smaller wide-body aircraft.[25]
The airline has converted an order for A380-800F into the passenger version which are due for delivery in 2009. In its place the airline has ordered ten Boeing 747-8 freighters for its SkyCargo subsidiary. Emirates has chosen the Boeing 747-8 "derivative" freighter over the all-new Airbus A380-800F for its nose-loading capability, something the rival Airbus freighter is lacking.[26][27]
On 8 June 2010, at the Berlin Air show, Emirates ordered an additional 32 A380s worth $11.5 billion. The deal was the biggest single order for the world’s largest passenger aircraft This latest order, added to the 58 A380s previously ordered, brings the total to 90.[28] Emirates expects all 90 superjumbos to be delivered by 2017. None of the additional 32 jets are intended to replace existing A380s; although Emirates received its first A380 in 2008 it does not expect to retire these early airframes before 2020.[29] Later in June 2010, Tim Clark, the president of Emirates, hinted at further orders for A380s.[30]
On 19 July 2010, at the Farnborough Air Show in the U.K., Emirates ordered 30 Boeing 777-300ER worth $9.1 billion.[31] Emirates also announced it had signed a contract for Engine Alliance GP7200 engines to power the 32 Airbus A380 aircraft it ordered in June at the Berlin Air Show. The deal with Engine Alliance, a joint venture between GE and Pratt & Whitney, was worth $4.8bn, while last month’s Airbus A380 order was worth $11.5bn. The total spending for new aircraft this year has reached $25bn.[32]
Emirates first introduced the A330 into its fleet in 1999, the airline uses it on predominately on short haul flights within the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Emirates has fitted the aircraft with both 2 class and 3 class configurations. All A330's use RR Trent 772B engines.[33]
The airline also uses the A330 on medium haul European flights and flights to King Shaka International Airport in Durban, South Africa. Most new routes in Africa, Asia and Europe are opened with these aircraft. 4 are expected to be phased out in 2012, 2 have already found a new home with Virgin Australia, and two more are to follow.
The airline also has 18 A340 aircraft which include 8 Airbus A340-300 aircraft and 10 Airbus A340-500 aircraft. The A340-300 aircraft were bought from Singapore Airlines in 2003. All A340-300 aircraft are specified in 3 class configuration with 267 seats. All aircraft are also fitted with CFM 56 engines.[34] Emirates plans to phase all of these A340-300 aircraft out in 2012.
The A340-500 aircraft were also introduced to the fleet in the last quarter of 2003 and are used to be used on the ultra long haul routes but now see medium-long haul routes such as Beijing, Cape town and Vienna. The aircraft are also designed in 3 class configuration with 258 and use RR Trent 553 engines.
In July 2008, Emirates received its first Airbus A380-800 and in August 2008, it became the second airline to fly the Airbus A380-800, after Singapore Airlines.[3] The airline currently uses its 18 A380-800 daily to several destinations with more being added each month. This is the list of routes they are deployed on as off the 23rd December 2011 and includes future routes. All operate daily unless mentioned otherwise. Europe-
Asia and Oceania-
EK does currently not have government approval for daily A380 services to Shanghai thus the aircraft flies to Hong Kong each other day.
Africa and Americas-
Emirates has refused to yield to the fact that Airbus is delaying the delivery of the A380. In fact, they are receiving them at a more rapid rate than the other A380 operators are receiving them. On 28 May 2010, the airline received their 9th A380 and as of March 2011 they have 15 in their fleet.[35] The president of Emirates says that he expects to order even more A380s beyond the current orders for 90.[30]
Emirates has a large fleet of 777s, and plans to start phasing out older "classic" 777s by February 2011; as of July 2010, Emirates has 83 Boeing 777 aircraft. It has been reported that Emirates was in discussions with Boeing about a future aircraft which might replace the 777 in the longer term.[36]
The airline has planned to increase the number of flights across its network by 14 percent in 2009. In 2010, Emirates added 23 new passenger aircraft to its fleet, increasing seating capacity by 18 percent and enabling it to start new routes as well as increase frequencies on existing routes. It also expand cargo capacity by 17 percent. Emirates, which had a total of 90 Airbus A380s on order as of 2010, said that they will have 15 more A380s in their fleet by 2011. The carrier had said recently it has no plans to delay or defer aircraft deliveries over 2009, despite a tough credit environment.[37][38][39]
Emirates will have 122 Boeing 777s in its fleet by 2012 making it the single largest aircraft type in fleet, and will also operate 90 Airbus A380-800s by 2017. Emirates will have about 165 aircraft in its fleet by 2012, and will have more than 300 aircraft in its fleet by 2020.[40]
The airline has orders for 90 Airbus A380-800 aircraft and was the second airline to receive the aircraft, after Singapore Airlines, the launch customer.[41] As of 2011, Emirates is the largest operator of the type.[42]
Speaking at the recent IATA 2009 annual general meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Tim Clark, Emirates's CEO, says that they would be operating around 163 aircraft by 2012, and that they have to consider the 58 aircraft to be retired within years, including the A330-200, A340-300 and 777-200/-300 Classics.[43] In June 2010 it was announced that Emirates will begin phasing out 68 older widebodies – A330-200s, A340-300/500s and 777 “Classics from February 2011".[25] Emirates plans to have over 320 aircraft by 2018, and some reports suggest that the airline will have more than 400 aircraft in its fleet by 2020.
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