Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, is to acquire a fleet of eight Airbus A340-300s, powered by Snecma CFM56 engines. The leased jets will be refitted early next year by aerospace companies in France and Germany and will enter service with March 1, 2004, on routes from Dubai to Shanghai, Casablanca, Johannesburg, Perth and Osaka.
The new aircraft will seat up to 267 people in three classes. When full, and with some 10 tons of cargo, their range is 5,500 nautical miles non-stop from Dubai to Japan. The planes are joining Emirates' fleet on nine-year leases from plane-maker Boeing, which acquired them from their original owners as part of the sale of a fleet of Boeing 777s.
In the full year to March 2003, Emirates carried 8.5 million people, up 26 percent on the previous year's 6.8 million. Including the orders announced at this spring's Paris Air Show, Emirates has commitments to acquire new Airbus and Boeing jets worth a total of $26 billion. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
