THE EMIRATES Group has underscored its commitment to the future of airfreight by placing a firm order for five new B777-200LR freighters in a deal worth more than US$1.7billion at list prices, writes Thelma Etim.

Two units are to be delivered in 2024 with the remaining three scheduled for 2025, says a statement. The agreement takes the airline’s current total passenger and cargo order book to 200 wide-body aircraft, it adds.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of the airline and the Group, asserts that the order is a reflection of Emirates’ confidence in airfreight demand – and in the overall growth of the aviation sector.

“Emirates is investing in new freighters so that we can continue to serve customer demand with the latest fuel-efficient aircraft,” he says.

“It lays the ground for our continued growth, which is driven by the reach of our diverse global network, the advanced handling infrastructure at our Dubai hub and the tailored transport solutions that Emirates has developed to serve our varied customers’ needs.”

This latest business expansion news follows the Middle Eastern airline group’s November 2021 Dubai Air Show announcement of its intention to invest $1billion in steadily augmenting its airfreight capacity, which included two new B777Fs which entered its fleet this year and also revealed plans to convert 10 B777-300ER passenger aircraft into freighters from next year.

Emirates SkyCargo is a staunch supporter of the B777 freighter and was the launch customer for the type.

Stan Deal, president and chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, agrees that the expansion of Emirates’ fleet with these additional fuel-efficient B777 freighters will enable the airline to support “its growing cargo market demand, transporting goods rapidly and efficiently from origin to destination in the Middle East and around the world.”

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