Emirates Airline announced a US$15.1 billion (AED55.4 billion) commitment for 40 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners on November 13.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group, and Kevin McAllister, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, signed the agreement on the opening day of the 2017 Dubai Airshow.

“Emirates’ orders today will be delivered from 2022, taking the airline well into the 2030s. Some of these will be replacements so that we maintain a young and efficient fleet, and others will power our future network growth,” Sheikh Ahmed said.

“We see the 787 as a great complement to our 777 and A380 fleet, providing us with more flexibility to serve a range of destinations as we develop our global route network,” Ahmed added.

“We are excited that Emirates has selected the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner to power its fleet expansion and future growth. Emirates’ endorsement of the 787 Dreamliner extends our long-standing partnership and will sustain many jobs in the United States,” McAllister said.

Emirates’ agreement includes conversion rights to switch the aircraft to 787-9s, offering the airline additional flexibility for its future fleet and global network. Emirates’ Dreamliners will be delivered in a mix of two and three-cabin class configurations, potentially seating between 240 and 330 passengers. These aircraft will be delivered in phases from 2022 onwards.

In Viet Nam, Emirates operates daily passenger services from both Ha Noi and HCM City. From HCM City, the airline has been operating daily direct flights to Dubai since 2012, while flights along the Ha Noi-Dubai route have been operational, non-stop from July 2 this year. Both of these services are operated via a two-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. — VNS