The 342 orders represented more than twice the value of those seen
by European rival Airbus, who said it took 142 orders worth some $40
billion.
The massive commitments came from just four carriers in the tiny
nations of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which are in a race
to create more jobs for their own citizens and diversify their
oil-dependent economies.
"In recent years, much of the action in global aviation has shifted
to the Middle East because countries like the U.A.E. and Qatar have
tapped into our geographical advantage to build a new air transport
connection for the world," Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum,
chairman of Emirates and the smaller flydubai, told reporters.
Of the major Gulf Arab carriers, Dubai-based Emirates airline flexed
its buying power the hardest, with orders for 150 of the planned
Boeing 777x at a combined price tag of $55.6 billion. The aircraft
is a larger and more fuel-efficient model of the company's popular
777 wide-body.
Boeing CEO James McNerney Jr. called it part of the "largest product
launch in commercial jetliner history."
The airline also announced orders for 50 Airbus A380s — the main
competition for the 777X. Airbus says the planned purchase is listed
at $23 billion.
The Dubai Airshow is seen as an increasingly important barometer on
the state of the aviation industry and the rising roles of the
big-spending Gulf carriers Etihad, Qatar Airways, Emirates and
flydubai as they compete for routes and critical stopover traffic
between Asia and Europe and the Americas.
This year's event, which also included announcements of promised
purchasing rights for dozens more aircraft, surpassed the record
$155 billion in deals in 2007's edition, before the global economic
downturn.
The five-day aviation trade show's location, at the new Dubai World
Central airport's grounds, further reflects the Gulf Arab region's
own rapid growth in the aviation industry. Dubai hopes the new
airport will be the largest in the world and the most frequented
transit hub, connecting European and Asian travelers.
Plans calls for most of the traffic from Dubai's current airport to
be eventually shifted to the new facility, which officials say could
one day handle 160 million passengers a year as part of the region's
growing profile as a global aviation hub. It remains unclear whether
Dubai will continue to operate both airports or eventually move
traffic entirely to the new airport grounds.
"To me what's happening at Dubai World Central, Dubai
(International) Airport, Emirates Airline and flydubai, all this
reflects the growth of aviation globally and in this region," Al
Maktoum of Emirates and flydubai said.
For Boeing and Airbus, the Gulf Arab region has become a key
battleground for new aircraft and big-ticket orders that can shape
the companies' outlooks for years.
[to top of second column] |
Boeing received orders at the show for 150 777X planes from
Emirates, 50 from Qatar Airways and 25 from Abu Dhabi's Etihad
Airways, the Chicago-based manufacturer and the airlines announced
in separate news conferences. Boeing also inked deals with Etihad
for 30 of its 787-10 Dreamliners and one cargo plane, and with
budget carrier flydubai for 86 aircraft, most for its single-aisle
737 models.
The Dreamliner deal is an important nod of support in the Gulf for
the troubled aircraft, which has suffered groundings in the past
year over battery problems.
The 777X orders come even as Boeing looks for alternative sites to
develop the plane after machinists in the Seattle area rejected a
long-term contract.
The long-range, twin-aisle 777 holds about 365 passengers, making it
Boeing's second-biggest plane. Since its first flight in 1994, it's
been a best-seller for Boeing, which has sold more 777s than any of
its other current large planes.
In May, it began offering the revamped 777X. Boeing is still
finalizing plans for the plane — aiming to deliver the first
aircraft by the end of the decade — but it has said it is expected
to carry as many as 400 passengers and to be more fuel efficient
than the current 777. Previously, Lufthansa had made a commitment
for 34 of the 777X.
With almost $78 billion in combined purchasing commitments announced
at the opening of the five-day show, Emirates airline cemented
itself as one of Boeing and Airbus' largest and most important
clients. The airlines said some of the new aircraft will replace
existing ones and others will be used in the company's expansion.
The airline's chairman said Sunday's announcements will likely scare
some of his competitors who are fighting to preserve monopolies on
landing rights at airports in their home countries. Aviation
industry manufacturers must work to try and ease those kinds of
restrictions, Al Maktoum added, "otherwise why would we buy
something and not allow us?"
"Then they can take the aircraft back," he said. "But I don't think
something like this will happen. I always look that the future will
be positive and we'll be allowed to fly to more and more
destinations."
[Associated
Press; AYA BATRAWY]
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