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Dubai based carrier orders further 50 A380 aircraft
Dubai-based carrier, Emirates Airline, has placed an additional order for 50 A380s flagships, taking their total order to 140 and confirming the continued strong demand for very large aircraft in the Middle East.
The order was signed at a ceremony at the 2013 Dubai Airshow with His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Emirates Airline Group Chairman and Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO.
HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group said:
“The A380 continues to be the flagship of our fleet and after five years in operation it remains highly popular with our passengers. It is still one of the most efficient aircraft to operate today in terms of fuel burn and emissions per passenger, and it gives us the flexibility in some cases to meet passenger demand in slot-constrained markets. This latest order will help us meet both fleet expansion and fleet replacement needs.”
UK Business Secretary Vince Cable said:
“From nose to tail, the Airbus A380 is a good example of great technology designed and manufactured in the UK. This major new order protects over 2,500 jobs in Filton and Broughton and will also be welcome news for the many thousands more workers employed by companies who supply smaller parts to the aircraft from across the UK.
“The British aerospace industry is a global leader, second only to the United States. This is one of the UK’s major success stories. That’s why we have invested over £2 billion with industry in a new Aerospace Technology Institute, developing new cutting edge technology that will help us build faster and greener aircrafts in the future. And securing major new contracts like the Airbus A380 will ensure they benefit from the latest innovation and technology as we develop it.”
Fabrice Brégier, Airbus CEO and President said:
“By strategically placing the A380 at the centre of its business, Emirates Airline is maximizing its leading position with each day of operations. Emirates has understood from the start that the A380 is unmatched in terms of efficiency, economics and passenger comfort and a true crowd-puller, as we see clearly underlined by the rapid development of its Dubai hub.
“We value our partnership with Emirates Airlines and are pleased to see this getting stronger each day with their A380s flying.”
Following delivery of their first A380 in July 2008, Emirates has now taken delivery of 39 A380s. Their 39th A380 is on static display at Dubai Airshow 2013. All Emirates’ A380s are powered by Engine Alliance GP7200 engines.
Emirates’ A380s are a familiar sight in the UK, with four services operating daily between Dubai and London Heathrow, and a further daily A380 between Dubai and Manchester. The wings for the aircraft are designed at the Airbus facility in Filton, Bristol, while they are assembled at the Airbus plant in Broughton, north Wales before being transported to Toulouse where the aircraft is finally assembled. A number of the aircraft systems are also tested at Filton, including landing gear and fuel.
With around 20 per cent of each Emirates A380 made in the UK, the aircraft programme has generated a significant amount of value to the UK economy and will continue to do so in the future; the total sum is estimated at £15 billion over the life of the programme. This order from Emirates is expected to sustain around 2,500 UK jobs directly and through the supply chain.
Since first entering service in 2007, the A380 has joined the fleets of ten world class carriers. The aircraft flies 8,500 nautical miles or 15,700 kilometres non-stop, carrying more people at lower cost and with less impact on the environment. The spacious, quiet cabin and smooth ride have made the A380 a firm favourite with both airlines and passengers, resulting in higher load factors wherever it flies.
The total A380 fleet has accumulated over one million flight hours in almost 140,000 commercial flights. To date some 50 million passengers have already enjoyed the unique experience of flying on board an A380. Every five minutes, an A380 either takes off or lands at one of the 34 airports where it operates today and the network is constantly growing.