Emirates faces pressure from manufacturers ahead of Dubai Airshow, says airline president
As-salamu alaykum - Two weeks before the Dubai Airshow, Emirates’ president Tim Clark says both Airbus and Boeing are lining up to win deals, with pressure mounting to finalise orders during the biennial event.
Clark told reporters that while manufacturers are eager to sell, delivery delays and backlogs stretching into the next decade are limiting Emirates’ expansion plans. He explained that both plane makers are struggling to produce aircraft at the pace Emirates needs and likely cannot accept many new orders before about 2033.
He also said Emirates is pressing manufacturers to meet its specifications and to offer better commercial terms. Clark hinted the airline will have some announcements soon but did not give details.
Emirates, which often makes big order headlines at the airshow, is weighing further aircraft commitments as it grows its route network. The carrier remains the largest customer for the Boeing 777X, but Boeing has pushed the programme back again, now guiding a return in 2027. Clark said the new timeline is vague and disruptive - the delay is several years beyond when Emirates had expected deliveries.
Rather than focus on compensation, Clark said Emirates’ priority is getting the aircraft it needs, though discussions about damages will happen in due course. The prolonged postponement has constrained route launches the airline had planned and forced it to take some A350s and to invest roughly $5 billion to retrofit older A380s to keep them flying into the later part of the decade.
Clark described efforts by Boeing’s new leadership and Airbus’ teams to address problems, saying restoring full production and innovation is a long, difficult task that could take until around 2030. He also said he has tried to persuade manufacturers to build larger variants to replace the A380, but firms are risk-averse and reluctant to pursue such projects given recent geopolitical and economic shocks.
A seasoned negotiator, Clark shared candid thoughts about getting tough but fair deals, comparing bargaining to chess and stressing the need to understand the other side while staying measured. For now, Emirates keeps working with manufacturers to secure the planes it needs to support future growth.
Wassalam.
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