Emirates Airlines has seen its share of new aircraft delays.
As the biggest customer for Airbus’ A380, the Dubai-based carrier saw the first delivery of its superjumbo jet pushed back 21 months when Airbus hit setbacks with the A380’s wiring.
But that isn’t deterring Emirates from possibly doubling its order from 55 A380s to 110, reports AFX News.
The only holdup, Emirates president Tim Clark told reporters, is getting permits for the superjumbo jets from the airline’s home airport in Dubai.
Last year, when Airbus announced further delays of its A380, Clark was outspoken in his disappointment with the European planemaker, saying Emirates expected financial compensation for the delays.
The recent delay announced by Boeing of its 787, however, hasn’t dissuaded Emirates interest in the jet.
Clark told ATW that he isn’t surprised Boeing had to push back the Dreamliner’s first flight. He believes the company will come close to meeting its anticipated first delivery to All Nippon Airways in May 2008.
Better yet for Boeing, Clark won’t hold the delay against Boeing when considering an order between the 787 and Airbus’ A350. In July, Emirates sought a guarantee from Boeing that it would launch a larger version of the Dreamliner, the 787-10.
Further, Emirates is still eyeing an order of Boeing’s 747-8 Intercontinental. Boeing isn’t “quite there yet but they are much, much closer than they were six months ago,” Clark told ATW.
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