Emirates has signed an agreement with Airbus to purchase 36 additional Airbus A380 aircraft in a deal valued at $16 billion. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2020.
The announcement follows a recent production delay that prompted speculation about the future of the A380 program, despite the aircraft’s strong appeal to travelers. Emirates is the largest A380 customer, and while global orders for the type slowed in recent years, this commitment reaffirms the airline’s confidence in the model.
In November, Emirates received its 100th A380, and Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline, emphasized continued support for the superjumbo.
“We have been clear that the A380 has been a success for Emirates. Our customers love it, and we have been able to deploy it on a variety of missions across our network, giving us flexibility in terms of range and passenger mix,” Sheikh Ahmed said. “Some of the new A380s we have ordered will serve as fleet replacements. This order will help provide stability to the A380 production line. We will continue to work closely with Airbus to further enhance the aircraft and the onboard product so we can offer our passengers the best possible experience. One of the strengths of this aircraft is that its size and configuration allow us significant freedom to innovate with the interiors.”
The Airbus A380 is the world’s largest passenger airliner and has carried more than 200 million passengers on Emirates flights to date.