The Dubai government-owned carrier, expanding its role as the world's largest operator of the 777, said the deal was worth USD$18 billion, the largest commercial order by value in the US plane maker's history.
"This order represents a milestone -- it is the single largest dollar value (order) in the Boeing history," Emirates Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum said at a press conference, before signing the deal with Boeing representatives as Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, looked on.
"(The) 777 has served Emirates very well in terms of seat costs... especially when we see the fuel price is quite high."
Fuel costs took a big toll on the airline's first half profits, sending them down 76 percent.
Emirates said it had adequate financing in place for 2012, and planned no new bond issue. Sheikh Ahmed said the airline, which launched a heavily oversubscribed USD$1 billion bond in June, would consider a bond if needed and if the timing was right, adding "we don't have a push."
Including options to buy 20 more of the twin-aisle aircraft and other agreements, the total deal is worth USD$26 billion, Emirates and Boeing said.
The airline planned to look at a mix of funding options for the order, including Islamic finance, he added. Delivery of the aircraft is due to begin in 2015.
GULF CARRIERS SPLASH OUT
Gulf airlines and lessors are set to splash out on Airbus and Boeing jets at the November 13-17 air show, underscoring the region's role as the industry's chief paymaster amid Europe's worsening sovereign debt crisis.
Qatar Airways is expected to place a USD$6.5 billion order for 50 fuel-saving A320neo jets and five A380s from Airbus, and Kuwait lessor Alafco plans to boost a provisional order for 30 Airbus A320neos, industry sources said.
A muted air show two years ago came days before Dubai lurched into its own property and financial crisis in 2009, but the city state has been recovering after a bailout from Abu Dhabi.
Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed spent hours at the airshow, looking at commercial and military planes and touring the floor before taking a seat at the Emirates news conference, underscoring the keen interest that the emirate has in the success of its airline and ambitions for Dubai to become a major hub.
Demand for passenger aircraft has been remarkably robust led by rising numbers of middle classes in Asia and the Middle East and a shift of economic power from the West, but some analysts fear a contagion from Europe's debt crisis.
"Nothing goes up forever but we really believe the demand for airplanes is driven by world GDP," Boeing commercial planes chief executive Jim Albaugh said on the eve of the show.
"It goes up by about one and a half times GDP, and while you have spikes... the long-term direction is pretty positive."
(Rueters)
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