© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Visitors in front of the Boeing 777X aircraft during the Dubai Airshow, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, November 14, 2021. REUTERS/Rula Rouhana/File Photo
By Tim Hepher and Alexander Cornwell
DUBAI (Reuters) – Middle Eastern airlines look set to order tens of billions of dollars worth of long-haul jets at the opening of the Dubai Airshow on Monday, as Emirates renews its confidence in lagging Boeing (NYSE:) 777X as it faces new competition from rivals such as Turkish Airlines.
Hosts Emirates and its low-cost cousin flyDubai are expected to make their mark early on the world’s second-biggest aerospace event, industry sources said, despite concerns about a slump in the travel sector. economically key due to tensions in the Middle East.
This is likely to include an order for several dozen Boeing 777X aircraft, despite current uncertainty over the schedule for the world’s largest twin-engine aircraft, which is currently expected in 2025 after a five-year delay. Boeing has said the schedule is intact.
The world’s largest user of wide-body aircraft, including the Airbus A380 superjumbos and current-generation Boeing 777s, has publicly said it is considering the updated 777X model, as well as the Airbus A350 and the smaller Boeing 787 for a new batch. .
Of these, the 787 is the least likely to appear immediately.
FlyDubai flies Boeing 737 MAX narrowbody aircraft and is ready to order more planes in that category, the sources said.
Emirates, Airbus and Boeing declined to comment.
Industry officials estimate that airlines around the world are negotiating behind the scenes to buy 700 to 800 new planes, including 200 to 300 of the world’s largest, as they catch up on fleet replacement plans. reserved during the pandemic.
How many of them will come to fruition in time for the Nov. 13-17 fair depends on the state of negotiations and the fight for the spotlight as Gulf groups face an ever-widening circle of competition.
Turkish Airlines (THY) burst onto the show agenda on Saturday with news from state news agency Anadolu that it was in talks to buy up to 355 Airbus planes.
After more talks, industry sources said the airline could announce at least part of the deal on Monday.
It has said it is in talks for up to 600 planes in total, likely split between Airbus and Boeing.
A Middle Eastern source described the prospect of a Turkish order as a “bold move”, intensifying competition at the exhibition event.
However, other sources said speculation about a large order for narrow-body aircraft in Dubai by the region’s newest player, Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air, as soon as Dubai is premature.
The airline, which has hinted at a decision in the coming weeks, declined to comment.
Aviation powerhouse Dubai is hosting the biennial aerospace contest against the backdrop of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which is raising demand for weapons and closing airspace, making flights longer and more expensive for some. airlines.
Travel analytics firm ForwardKeys said on Friday that flight bookings had fallen not only in the Middle East, but around the world since October 7. Reservations to the Middle East have plummeted 26%, he said.
