Emirates And Boeing: After The Deal A Chat About The Future
Posted by
Robert Wall at 11/13/2011 8:36 AM CST
What do Boeing and Emirates do a day after signing a deal for 50 firm 777-300ERs and options for 20 more (a mere $26 billion if all options are exercised)? They talk about more aircraft.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO and President, James Albaugh, says talks with Emirates, including the airline's boss, Tim Clark, will take place on Monday about the so called 777X, the end-of-decade update to the 777 Boeing, has signalled it plans to put into the market.
The 777X -- expected to come in a -8X and -9X version -- would feature a new wing and new engine. Clark wants the aircraft performance to allow the airline to transport 360 passengers with cargo from Dubai to Los Angeles, while delivering lower fuel burn.
But what could become the main area of disagreement is potentially not the aircraft performance, but its timeline. Clark wants the 777X to be ready around 2017, when the 777-300ER fleet replacement cycle gets going. Boeing is looking at an end-of-decade date, so a tad later than Emirates might like.
One issue that could dictate how patient Clark is could be the performance and timeliness of the Airbus A350-1000.