DUBAI, 17th Sept, 05 (WAM) - One of the world's fastest growingairlines - Emirates - saw its fleet touch the eighty-mark withthe arrival of a new Boeing 777-300ER (Extended Range).
The aircraft is Emirates' fifth Boeing 777-300ER from a totalof 30 that the airline has on firm order. The remaining 25 Boeing777-300ER will be added to the airline's rapidly-expanding fleetby end 2007, according to a press release.
The wide-bodied, twin-aisle aircraft dubbed as one of the mostadvanced aircraft in the sky has been specially equipped to Emirates'demanding standards. Its innovative on-board features includemood-lighting that helps reset body clocks and minimizes jetlag,Emirates' Information, Communication and Entertainment (ICE)system which offers over 500 channels of video, audio and gameson demand, noise cancellation headsets, SMS and e-mail from one'sseat and in-seat five-zone massage system.
Ideal for long-haul routes, the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft -sporting a 12 metres long Emirates logo on its underside - iscurrently operated on services from Dubai to Manila, and Dubaito Sydney and Auckland, via Bangkok. Later this year the aircraftwill be introduced on routes to London Heathrow, Manchester,Glasgow, Johannesburg and Dusseldorf.
Expressing pride at Emirates' unprecedented expansion, Tim Clark,President Emirates Airline said: "Starting with just two leasedaircraft - a Boeing 737 and an Airbus 300 B4 - Emirates has grownat a blistering pace, increasing its fleet to 80 aircraft inalmost 20 years. Today Emirates operates one of the most modernfleets in the world, with an average aircraft age of only 55months." "Intense demand for the airline's services promptedEmirates to embark on an ambitious US$ 30 billion fleet expansion."added Clark. "We plan to introduce 21 new aircraft, addingmore than one aircraft every month to our fleet, from now untilthe end of 2006." The Emirates fleet is forecasted to touch the100-mark, thereby entering into triple digits for the very firsttime by end 2006.
Emirates' impressive order book worth almost US$30 billion inlist prices consists of orders for 93 aircraft including 45 AirbusA380s (two of them freighters), 25 Boeing 777-300ERs, 20 AirbusA340-600 HGWs, one A340-500 and two A310-300F freighters.
