The order flow for the Dubai Airshow 2019 resumed on the second day of the show, with Emirates making their first new aircraft commitment at the Airshow.

Emirates, which has been dealing with Airbus on various different levels as the airline wants to find the new growth engine for themselves after the A380 programme is put to rest, today announced a firm order for 50 A350-900 XWB aircraft worth USD 16 billion at list prices at the Dubai Airshow 2019. Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, delivery of the first Emirates A350 XWB is expected in May 2023, and will continue until 2028.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Chairman and Chief Executive, signed the deal with Guillaume Faury, Chief Executive Officer from Airbus. This purchase agreement replaces the heads of agreement signed in February where Emirates announced its intent to purchase 30 A350s and 40 A330Neos.

HH Sheikh Ahmed said: “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.

“Complementing our A380s and 777s, the A350s will give us added operational flexibility in terms of capacity, range and deployment. In effect, we are strengthening our business model to provide efficient and comfortable air transport services to, and through, our Dubai hub.”

As per Emirates, the A350 will enable Emirates to serve a range of new markets, not only in the region but also on long-haul missions of up to 15 hours of flying time from Dubai. Emirates intends to equip its A350s with its latest products, and offer different cabin configurations including Premium Economy.

Emirates currently operates an all wide-body fleet of efficient and modern aircraft, comprising the iconic Airbus A380 and the popular Boeing 777. From its hub in Dubai, the airline serves over 150 cities on six continents, offering award-winning inflight and on-ground services. Emirates had earlier ordered 70 A350 aircraft way back in 2007 and then cancelled the same in 2014. Incidentally, at the time of the order, the listed price of the 70 aircraft was also USD 16 billion, and the same amount comes back to Airbus today for 50 A350-900 aircraft.