Emirates finalises order for 150 Boeing 777 planes worth US$56b (at list prices)

The rate that Emirates is expanding, they may well conquer the long-haul aviation world soon.  Already, they have the world's largest fleet A380 fleet with many more on order.  And now, they have ordered another 150 Boeing 777, bringing their order book to 208 Boeing 777s alone.  No doubt they will replace some of the older planes, to keep their fleet young, but I think it is overall still a very significant expansion.

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DUBAI: Dubai's Emirates Airline has finalised an order for 150 Boeing 777 planes valued at US$56 billion at list prices, the US manufacturer said on Wednesday in Dubai.

The planes, comprising 115 777-9Xs and 35 777-8Xs, were initially ordered during the Dubai Airshow in November 2013, when the largest operator of the long haul airliner took also purchase rights for 50 additional planes.

The value of the deal could increase to US$75 billion at list prices if Emirates firms up its right to purchase the additional planes, Boeing said in a statement issued in Dubai.

"With the order for 150 777Xs, Emirates now has 208 Boeing 777s pending delivery, creating and securing jobs across the supply chain," said Emirates president Tim Clark in the statement, adding that Emirates already flies 138 Boeing 777 planes.

"We are extremely proud to have Emirates, the world's largest 777 operator, continue its long-standing partnership with Boeing by becoming the largest launch customer for the 777X," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Ray Conner in the statement.

Boeing said the 777X will introduce the latest technologies including "the most advanced commercial engine ever," the GE9X by GE Aviation, and an all-new high efficiency composite wing that has a longer span than today's 777.

Emirates, one of the world's fastest growing carriers, is also the largest single customer of Airbus' long-haul double-decker A380.