Headquartered in Dubai, the Middle East, Emirates is the launch user and largest customer of Boeing's upcoming flagship wide-body product, the 777X. Its statement on the 777X provides a glimpse into the development of this aircraft.
Recently, Tim Clark, president of Emirates, said at an event that the new wide-body aircraft 777X could not be received until the end of 2025 or 2026.
In the global air transport industry, there are some airline executives who are known for their candor, including Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary and Emirates President Tim Clark.
Often, airlines have more access to more information and will provide greater clarity on aircraft deliveries or the progress of research and development for certain aircraft programs**. There may be some truth and accuracy in what Clark revealed about the new ** for the delivery of the first 777-9 aircraft.
On 29 February, the president of Emirates said at a meeting at an Aero Club London event that he did not think he would be able to receive the 777x until October 2025.
Clark said, however, that even Boeing does not know when that will happen. Clark said it could be by the end of 2025, but it's more likely that the 777x will be available in early 2026.
As of January 2024, Boeing said it had received firm orders for 510 777X family aircraft, of which 453 were net orders. Emirates is the largest customer of the 777x, with 205 orders on order, including the 777-9 with a larger passenger capacity and the 777-8 with a greater autonomy.
Boeing has been testing, developing and flying the 777-9 since January 2020, with four aircraft in the process of certification. Still, the line safety and quality issues Boeing faced led the FAA, the U.S. aviation regulator, to tighten the certification process for the 777X. The FAA began the certification process to inspect each aircraft and no longer allowed Boeing to conduct its own inspections.
Considering the time it takes to obtain type certification, Boeing previously suspended production of the 777X aircraft and did not resume production until the end of 2023.
The delay in the delivery of the Boeing 777X, and especially the uncertainty of the future delivery time, seems to have influenced some decisions of potential customers, who have recently begun to choose more from Boeing's competitor, Airbus' A350 aircraft.
The 777X aircraft is technologically advanced and will be the world's largest wide-body aircraft in production when put into operation, and it is very promising to change the "rules of the game" in the global aviation industry, which can help Boeing to save the decadent pattern to a certain extent, especially to maintain Boeing's little advantage in wide-body aircraft.