Emirates' Clark reveals fleet plans

Emirates President Tim Clark said the carrier is considering delaying next year's scheduled delivery of a dozen A340-600s and is close to choosing between the 787 and A350-900 for a 50-aircraft order.

Clark spoke with ATWOnline in Berlin on Friday. Emirates currently operates a fleet of 90 aircraft. It is expecting to take delivery of up to 14 777-300ERs through March 31, 2007, but is evaluating holding off on the A340-600s while Airbus works on improvements. "Maybe we slow the delivery down to give Airbus more time to work over the aircraft," he said. "I had some ideas to make the aircraft better, like regarding fuel efficiency or maintenance items."

In two or three months, Emirates is expecting to make its final decision between the A350-900 and the Dreamliner. Of the latter, Clark said he is most interested in the dash 10 version. "We are talking about 16/17-hour nonstop flights, like to South America. We need an aircraft for around 300 passengers on these operations," he said. From 2011, the new aircraft should replace older 777-200s and A330s.

Emirates will face a staffing challenge when it begins putting the new aircraft into service. A $100 million cabin crew training center should be online in Dubai in the first quarter of next year. The airline currently employs 7,000 cabin crew but in five years that number will more than double to 16,000. It will add 350 pilots in 2006 and two A380 simulators, bringing the total to nine.

The carrier is planning to introduce the 777-300ER on one of its two nonstop services to New York in place of an A340-500. Regarding the network, Clark said all European destinations currently served with daily flights should see twice-daily services in the future.