A purchase agreement for Emirates to buy as many as 30 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes from Boeing was announced on Wednesday.
The agreement is valued at no less than $8.8m, list prices have revealed.
The agreement was finalised at the Dubai Airshow in the United Arab Emirates and was the culmination of talks between the two firms in regard to which 787 Dreamliner models were the most appropriate to meet the needs of one of the world’s leading airlines.
An initial agreement to purchase the bigger 787-10 variant had already been signed by Emirates.
The official selection of the 787-9 on Wednesday means that Emirates will be adding a wide-body airplane of medium size to complement the airline’s bigger 777 aircraft.
Both of the airplane types are at the head of their specific categories in terms of superior fuel efficiency and range.
The chief executive and chairman of Emirates, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, says that he is pleased to announce the order for the airplanes.
Al Maktoum notes that the additions to the fleet represent a crucial investment and are a reflection of the continued efforts being made by Emirates to offer its customers the highest-quality air transport services.
The 787s will complement the fleet mix by expanding the airline’s operational flexibility in terms of capacity, deployment and range.
Al Maktoum adds that the company is pleased to also be reaffirming its commitment to the 777X programme and is looking forward to seeing it begin service.
The Boeing fleet is crucial to the Emirates business model, which serves worldwide demand for travel to and through its Dubai-based hub.
The airline is continuing to contribute to the strategy being pursued by the UAE to become a worldwide destination for tourists and business travellers by offering air connectivity of the highest quality.
The agreement will include an update to part of Emirates’ large order book to exercise substitution rights and have 30 777 airplanes converted into 30 787-9s instead.
Even with the conversion, Emirates will still be the largest customer of 777 airlines in the world, with 155 airplanes already in its fleet and a further 126 on order.
Stan Deal, the president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, says that the company is thrilled to have finalised such an important order from one of the leading international airlines.
Deal adds that the agreement will solidify the plan by the airline to operate the 777X and the 787 Dreamliner, which constitute the most capable and efficient combination of wide-body airplanes in the industry.
Building on the successful Emirates partnership and continuing to sustain more jobs for Boeing and its partner suppliers is an honour, according to Deal.
Anyone who flies in or out of the UAE with Emirates or any other airline will need to take out travel insurance before they set off.
Travel insurance offers financial safeguards from events that can happen while away from home, such as lost luggage or falling ill overseas.
