Emirates signs order for 50 Airbus A350

Emirates Airbus A350-900 — Airbus A350-900 in Emirates livery. Computer rendering: © Airbus

Emirates Airline has signed a purchase agreement with Airbus for 50 A350-900.

The announcement was made at the UAE’s Dubai Airshow 2019 in attendance of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. This deal is valued at US $16 billion in list prices.

Today, we are pleased to sign a firm order for 50 A350 XWBs, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. This follows a thorough review of various aircraft options and of our own fleet plans. It is Emirates’ long-standing strategy to invest in modern and efficient aircraft, and we are confident in the performance of the A350 XWB.Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum

He continues to say that Emirates will have additional flexibility by adding the A350-900 to its fleet which currently consists of Boeing 777 and Airbus A380. The new planes are due to be delivered from 2023.

This order for Airbus A350 was first announced by Emirates and Airbus in February, after the airline cancelled 39 of its remaining A380 orders. At the time, Emirates and Airbus agreed to a deal which included 30 A350-900 and 40 A330-900neo. The intended A330neo order has not been firmed up, instead, the airline has increased the number of A350s.