Dubai-based international carrier, Emirates, Sunday finalized with Airbus the order for 20 wide body jets plus optional 16 others agreed mid-January by the two longstanding partners.
The Sunday signing, which took place on the sideline of the World Summit in Dubai, closed a January deal; a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the airline and the France-based producer.
Airbus, according to the deal estimated at $16 billion, will start delivery of the double-decker jets from 2020 onward.
This latest signing brings Emirates’ A380 fleet at 178 for a total order put at over $60 billion. The airline currently operates 101 A380s.
The new order has been qualified as “a relief for Airbus” after the company contemplated shutting down the production of the A380s if Emirates does not place an order.
The Dubai flagship carrier flies passengers to 157 destinations in 84 countries aboard its 269 wide body aircraft.
