The Dubai Airshow has meant good business for aircraft manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus.
Emirates made the biggest on-site order ever in the first five hours of the show when it ordered 120 Airbus A350s, 11 A380s and 12 Boeing 777-300ERs, all worth an estimated US$34,9bn (R237bn). The purchase will see Emirates becoming the world’s largest B777 operator in the next few years. Emirates should take delivery of its first A350 in 2014.
Cathay Pacific also made its biggest-ever purchase of 10 Boeing 747-8 Freighters and seven Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft, valued at approximately US$5,2bn (R35,4bn).
Qatar Airways purchased 57 aircraft from Boeing, including 30 787 Dreamliners, worth US$13,5bn (R91,8bn) while Virgin Nigeria committed around US$811m (R5,5bn) on seven Embraer 170 aircraft and three 190s.