The firm order announced Wednesday, November 20, amounting to $ 8.8 billion, is in fact a conversion of part of the ongoing Boeing 777X order, now covering a total of 126 aircraft. Emirates is still the world's largest operator of Boeing 777s, with 155 aircraft in operation.
On this fourth day of the Dubai Airshow 2019, Boeing is catching up a bit with Airbus, thanks to the second big announcement of Emirates. The Dubai-based company has confirmed an order worth $8.8 billion at list price for 30 Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Emirates exercised “substitution rights”, thus converting part of the current mega order of Boeing 777X airplanes. Even after this substitution, Emirates is the largest customer of the Boeing 777X with an order book of 126 aircraft. The airline also remains the world's largest operator of Boeing 777 aircraft with a total of 155 aircraft in operation.
In 2017, Emirates opened the Dubai Airshow with a letter of intent for an order of 40 Boeing 787-10 aircraft that had not been confirmed so far. The 30 Boeing 787-9s ordered today should be delivered from 2023.