EMIRATES CHALLENGES RIVALS, AIMS FOR 120 A380S

October 12, 2010

Dubai airline Emirates launched a double
challenge to European airlines on Tuesday,
setting out ambitions to own a fleet of
more than 100 Airbus A380 superjumbos
and stepping up a war of words over rivals'
subsidy claims.
Emirates, which surprised the aviation
world by lifting its orders for the world's
largest airliner by a third to 90 aircraft in
June, is only constrained by a shortage of
space to park them, airline president Tim
Clark said.
"We would like some more but we are
going to run short of space," Clark said in
an interview in his glass-walled office
overlooking rows of jets at the Middle
East's busiest airport.
"120 was the baseline figure that the
planners worked to get where we needed
to be, but we couldn't order that amount
because it was too many for here, so 90
was a compromise."
The carrier will order more when it gets
additional space at its home base in Dubai,
he added, without giving a date.
Emirates, one of Dubai's most prized
assets, has continued to grow
exponentially despite a debt crisis that hit
the Gulf Arab emirate and several of its
government-related entities, leading to the
restructuring of billions of dollars in debt.
Passengers of Emirates are growing at 20
percent annually, said Clark, who expects
to maintain this level for the next five
years.
The A380 target implies a future Emirates order for 30 of the world's largest airliner,
worth USD$10 billion at list prices.
If the airline went ahead with this it would
have an A380 fleet worth over USD$40
billion and extend its dominance as the
European plane maker's largest customer, a
move which analysts say would also
strengthen the region's growing clout in
Europe.
Clark said Emirates would fulfill all 90
orders of the 525-seat double-decker
aircraft which it has placed so far.
In a potentially significant move in the
lucrative market for large mid-sized jets,
Clark said Emirates was also working with
Boeing on the next generation of 777s.
Emirates ordered 30 777-300ER wide-body
365-seaters in July in a deal potentially
worth over USD$9 billion.
Boeing has said it is looking at the future
of the aircraft which faces competition
from the future Airbus A350-1000.
Clark's comments seemed among the most
concrete indications yet of the extent to
which Boeing is advancing in proposals to
overhaul the 1990s design.
A new plane would likely use some carbon-
composite technology pioneered for
Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, which has been
marred by delays, but Clark's views on the
jet were more mixed.
"I am very glad we are not buying it and
glad we weren't the launch customer," he
said. "I think once they sort out the
airplane, which they will do, it will be a
good machine."

EUROPEAN VS GULF CARRIERS
The rapid expansion of Emirates -- as well
as Etihad in Abu Dhabi and Qatar Airways --
has provoked tensions with older airlines
and mutual accusations of protectionism.
Many carriers fear Gulf-based superjumbos
will draw traffic from their hubs.
US and European airlines last week
launched a campaign to change rules which
allow foreign airlines but not themselves
to receive export credits for Airbus and
Boeing planes.
Clark said it was natural for Emirates to
take advantage of export credit if it is
provided and said it was up to the
governments if they chose to support their
industries.
His airline has also repeatedly denied
claims by rival European carriers that its
fuel bills are subsidized.
"I have said 'you prove a subsidy and I will
resign the next day'. It is completely
wrong," Clark said.
An association of European airlines is due
to meet in London on Friday to discuss the
export credits issue.
Clark said, "If they spend as much time
running their business as they do trying to
run us down they might make even more
money."
European airlines say financing rules mean
European taxpayers are funding the
growth of airlines such as Emirates
through export aid denied to their own
carriers.

(Reuters)

Wow, banyak amiiiirrr . Mantabs abezz deh, Emirates!

Tapi kepikiran lagi, boro2 sebanyak 120, 50 aja udah bingung mau dipakai kemana ya?

Atau boleh lah 2-5 biji dihibahkan pada Garuda Indonesia .

Setuju sama Om Garuda 777.....honestly it doesn't make a lot of senses. Especially when it comes to business sense. Sorry to say......

Mungkin Emirates mempunyai planning tersembunyi, om. Yaitu (mungkin nih ya ) untuk membuat Emirates Leasing Finance, khusus bagi Airlines2 yang membutuhkan pengadaan armada A380 dalam waktu yang mendesak. Yah, sejenis ILFC lah kalo di negara Barat.

hahaha...bener...kebanyakan duit itu mah....mungkin but dipajang doang....jadi beli cuma buat disimpen....

Dipajang doang juga makan tempat kali, om . Dubai kayaknya harus membuat bandara tersendiri seperti di Mojave, AS, yang khusus bagi pesawat2 yg telah siap untuk di scrap, airlines yg bangkrut, atau tempat penampungan sementara bagi fleets yg mau disewakan kembali.

Garuda 777 wrote:

Mungkin Emirates mempunyai planning tersembunyi, om. Yaitu (mungkin nih ya ) untuk membuat Emirates Leasing Finance, khusus bagi Airlines2 yang membutuhkan pengadaan armada A380 dalam waktu yang mendesak. Yah, sejenis ILFC lah kalo di negara Barat.

Mungkin aja sih Om.....tapi kalo ordernya 120.....untuk saya tetep nggak make sense. Their parents company Dubai Govt Investment Company aja not doing too well! But then again mereka juga banyak hidden agenda yg kita nggak tau. Good luck to Emirates.....and good luck also to Airbus.....jadi program A380 mereka kaga rugi jadinya.....

Amin. Mudah2an hidden agenda nya mengarah pada Garuda Indonesia (teuteup.com )