Emirates Airlines said that it was looking into purchasing aircraft to make up for Airbus A380 delays. The carrier, which placed a $15 billion order for 43 A380 aircraft, will not receive an aircraft until August 2008. According to original plans, Airbus planned to deliver eighteen A380 aircraft to Emirates by the end of 2008. Seeking to make up for the lack of capacity, Emirates is evaluating deals from both Airbus and Boeing to fulfill their short-term needs. The carrier made no indication whether it had a preference for either manufacturer, but Tim Clark, Emirates CEO, said “We will acquire more aircraft, if we can, to fill the gap and we have teams of people actively involved in that.” Aside from leasing, it is not clear whether Emirates can receive new a substantial number of widebody aircraft before the delivery of the first A380. The Boeing 777 family is heavily booked for the coming years, while the inferior economics of the A340 family have made it less popular in light of high jet-fuel prices.

Source: Reuters