The Buzz | Emirates CEO intends to buy 100 More A380s

Emirates, the biggest customer for the A380 superjumbo, said it has told Airbus Group NV it would commit to buying 100 more of the planes if the manufacturer agrees to go ahead with an upgrade involving a new engine. The world’s largest airliner has “enormous” possibilities in terms of its passenger appeal and potential contribution to profitability, and developing a so-called Neo upgrade would help press home those advantages, Emirates President Tim Clark told Bloomberg Television in Davos.
“What we’ve said as Emirates is if you’re going to do the Neo, we’re in for 100,” he said at the World Economic Forum. “Put it on the table, we’ll start off for you.”
Clark’s comments increase the pressure on Airbus to commit to further development of an aircraft that’s no longer at the top of its agenda as sales slow and it focuses on boosting production of the new A350 wide-body. Dubai-based Emirates has 57 A380s already in its fleet with 15 more arriving this year out of an order for 140 in total, it said Jan. 13.