Dubai airline makes commitment for 20 A380s along with an option for 16 more with deliveries to start in 2020

Emirates Airlines said Thursday it has struck a $16 billion deal to buy 36 Airbus A380 superjumbos just days after the European manufacturer said it would have to halt production without new orders. Emirates says it's the largest Airbus A380 operator in the world and that some of the new jumbo jets ordered will be used as fleet replacements, providing stability to the A380 production line. Together with the airline’s 101-strong A380 fleet and its current order backlog for 41 aircraft, this new order brings Emirates’ commitment to the A380 programme to 178 aircraft, worth over US$ 60 billion. Emirates Chairman and Chief Executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the order “will provide stability to the A380 production line.”

Al Maktoum and Leahy made the comments in a statement after the deal was signed in Dubai on Thursday morning. Emirates, which is owned by the Dubai government in the United Arab Emirates, said the additional A380s will be delivered to the airliner from 2020 onwards and that some of the new A380s will be used as fleet replacements.
The Emirates airline announces an order for up to 36 Airbus A380s. Emirates is already the aircraft's largest operator, with a fleet of over 100.