With the Dubai Airshow underway, Emirates has made some big moves already on Day 1 after placing an order for 65 Boeing 777-9s, with the option to convert them to 777-10s and 777-8s later on. Despite the aircraft program having faced several development delays, Emirates President Sir Tim Clark reiterated his faith in the jet, stating: "I still believe the 777X is good to go…It will be right in the end."

This massive commitment comes alongside the news that the airline said not to expect any further order announcements from the airline at the airshow. However, given the carrier’s history, this cannot be fully confirmed.

This leaves the crucial question of one aircraft. The A350-1000. With reports stating a deal was close to being ordered, one might ask the question: what happened? Will Emirates still order the A350-1000, or will they opt for more of the smaller, more compact A350-900, a model that Sir Tim Clark has already praised as a "peach of an aircraft" and suggested Emirates will eventually place additional orders for?



The A350 Order: A History of Speculation

The A350-1000 has been the focus of intense speculation. On the eve of the Dubai Airshow, reports from Bloomberg News indicated that discussions were actively ongoing between the airline and Airbus over a potential deal. Sources suggested a contract for approximately 30 units, including additional options, was seemingly near finalization as Emirates sought more high-capacity aircraft.


Crucially, however, the report noted that the order was still subject to change and had yet to be finalized. Emirates has a well-known track record of having major deals collapse at the last minute, and the A350-1000 was viewed as no exception to this tendency for high-stakes negotiation.


Emirates interest in the long-range widebody is not new, dating back to 2007 when the airline first committed to the A350 program and included the -1000 model. That entire commitment was ultimately shelved. When Emirates finally returned to the program in the late 2010s, it only placed an order for the smaller A350-900, despite some industry observers feeling the higher-capacity -1000 would have been a better fit for the airline's needs.


The recent 777X order introduces significant complexity to the A350-1000 situation. Analysts note that President Sir Tim Clark is a known master negotiator who often uses discussions with one planemaker to leverage better deals or specifications from the other. He is a driving force behind Emirates growth and is known for being shrewd in business dealings.


Even with Clark's comment that no further orders should be expected at this airshow, aviation analysts are hesitant to call the matter closed. Given Clark's history of making one statement while a different action occurs shortly thereafter, many believe that no one truly knows the next move for Emirates until the ink is fully dry on a contract.


SOURCES: Reuters, Djsaviation