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Emirates, Qatar Airways to order for up to 120 aircraft
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
13 June, 2005: Gulf-based carriers Emirates Airlines and Qatar Airways are expected to announce firm orders that could be in the range of around 100 to 120 aircraft at the forthcoming Paris Air Show to be held from June 13 to 19, 2005.
Emirates is set to order a combination of A350s and Boeing's ultra-long range B777-200LRs, while Qatar Airways is set to order as many as 50 to 60 B787s.
Aviation officials close to the negotiations said that Boeing's 787 Dreamliner has lost out against its new rival as Emirates has decided on Airbus A350.
"Emirates has decided on A350, not the B787," an official said. However, the airline's officials said that the order would be a split deal, with some to be placed during Dubai Airshow and the rest at a later stage.
"We would make an announcement at Paris Air Show and another at Dubai Airshow later this year," Emirates airline President Tim Clark said.
The company is believed to be in talks with both Boeing and Airbus for the acquisition, while analysts believe that the order would go on a spilt basis.
Qatar Airways is also set to sign a major firm order in Paris. Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways' Chief Executive Officer said that the company would make an announcement at the Paris Air Show.
Even though he did not reveal the details of the acquisition, Al Baker said that it is "going to be big."
This would be the biggest shift for all-Airbus fleet operator Qatar Airways. Fifty B787s would cost the airline over $6.25 billion at list price.
More than 300 officials representing 265 airlines and companies gathered in Tokyo to assess the health of the global aviation industry at the 61st annual general meeting of IATA. Airbus and Boeing officials were seen making last-minute efforts on possible orders.
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
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