Airbus and Boeing may be able to ensure that their commercial success is not reflected at trade shows, but announcements at major events remain closely watched. And on the first day of the Dubai Airshow, it was Boeing who was the first to make three agreements, including a firm and massive order for the 777X.
Despite the difficulties, with further delays in its service planned for 2027, the 777X continues to sell and now has a net order book of 630 aircraft. Emirates, the aircraft’s first customer, has placed its third order since 2013. The company has committed to an additional 65 aircraft. It is the 777-9, the largest model in the range, that has the valuable advantage of having no real competitors with a carrying capacity of up to 426 passengers in two classes. Despite repeated criticism from Tim Clark, the company’s top boss, Emirates needed such a plane to take over from its Airbus A380 fleet. They now have 270 copies of the 777X on order, most of which are 777-9s.
