By Ayomide Otitoju
Emirates on Monday placed a landmark order for 65 Boeing 777X aircraft valued at $38 billion, offering a major boost to the US manufacturer on the opening day of the Dubai Airshow. The agreement also includes 130 GE9X engines from General Electric, with deliveries of the long-delayed aircraft expected to begin in the second quarter of 2027.
The Dubai-based carrier, already the world’s largest operator of Boeing 777s, now has 270 777X jets, 10 777 freighters and 35 Boeing 787s on its order book. Emirates Group chairman and CEO, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, described the purchase as a “long-term commitment that supports hundreds of thousands of high-value manufacturing jobs.”
Emirates, fully owned by the Dubai government, recently reported half-year profits of $2.9 billion, cementing its position as the world’s most profitable airline. Despite its expansive fleet strategy, the airline has previously expressed frustration over repeated delays to the 777X programme.
“Some people may have doubts about Emirates’ huge backlog of aircraft orders. But I assure you that each and every aircraft on order has been carefully factored into Emirates’ growth plans,” Sheikh Ahmed said.
Boeing continues to face scrutiny over safety issues and legal challenges following a series of incidents, including the June Air India crash that claimed 260 lives. Delays in aircraft deliveries have forced Emirates to refurbish parts of its ageing fleet, particularly its Airbus A380s, which are no longer in production.
The latest order also includes options for Emirates to upgrade to larger variants of the 777X that are still under development, further reinforcing its long-term fleet expansion strategy.
