Emirates is planning to spend around $5bn on a major retrofit programme, amid delays on plane deliveries, according to the airline’s president Tim Clark.
Speaking at the ITB Berlin trade event in Germany the airline boss ruled out deliveries of new Boeing 777x planes this year and said proactive steps have been taken to retrofit its fleet.
Delays from plane manufacturers, notably Boeing and Airbus, are forcing airlines to take action to meet expansion targets.
Emirates retrofit
Tim Clark told reporters: “We’ve had to take control of our own destiny. I could see the problems on the horizon, so we took the decision then.”
He added that Emirates is not expecting Boeing 777X planes to arrive in 2025 and hinted at further aircraft orders at the Dubai International Airshow later this year.
Although these are unlikely to arrive until the 2030s it is a sign of ambitious expansion for the airline in years to come.
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