Dubai's Emirates Orders Five Boeing 777F Freighters

(Reuters) – Dubai's Emirates has ordered five Boeing (NYSE:BA) 777F freighters and plans to decide this year on purchasing more Boeing or Airbus models for its fleet beyond 2028/29.

The announcement confirms a Reuters report from last week that Emirates had ordered current-generation 777F freighters in September, as part of a batch of new orders for 11 777F freighters disclosed by Boeing without revealing the airline names earlier this month.

Emirates also noted a multi-year lease extension with Dubai Aerospace Enterprise for four Boeing 777Fs that it already operates.

Additionally, Emirates is in talks to select between two newer models, the Airbus A350F and the freighter version of the Boeing 777X (777-8F), with a decision expected by year-end.

Airline president Tim Clark recently criticized delays in the 777X passenger version and expressed concerns regarding a corporate crisis at Boeing.

Monday's statement reaffirmed Emirates' commitment to a delayed project converting 10 passenger Boeing 777-3000ERs into freighters, working with Israel Aerospace Industries, without naming the Israeli company.

Emirates signed an agreement with IAI for the conversion in November 2021, reflecting closer business ties following the UAE's establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020, the first Arab state to do so in nearly three decades.

Despite this cooperation, business executives from both countries have indicated that the ongoing war in Gaza has cooled activity, leading to a reduced public focus on their relationship.

Emirates is not only the world's largest Boeing 777 operator but also one of the largest cargo carriers worldwide.

Boeing forecasts that an additional 2,845 freighters will enter service over the next 20 years to support growing global trade and e-commerce demand.