Aircraft

Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based airline Emirates is considering a potential 100-jet order from either Airbus and Boeing.

The airline is expected to choose between the Airbus A350XWB and Boeing's 787 Dreamliner for a 330-seat plane as the airline adds more routes.

Emirates says, according to Bloomberg, that Airbus has done the "right thing" with the redesign of its long-range A350 aircraft, and that the carrier may buy as many as 100 of the wide-body planes, a competitor to Boeing's 787.

Emirates said at a press conference that Airbus ``realised there has to be a centralised process of design and execution.''

Emirates President Tim Clark said: ``I am more relaxed now about what I see with regard to the A350 programme and the way they have gone about that as a new aircraft programme,'' he said.

Emirates is considering the A350 XWB and Boeing's 787 Dreamliner as the airline retires planes and expands routes.

In addition, Kuwait Airways plans to buy 27 new aircraft over ten to 15 years from 2009, an official told Gulf News.

There will be a mix of Airbus A320s and Boeing 787s, according to public relations director Adel Boresly. They will be phased in to replace older planes. The carrier currently has a fleet of 18 aircraft.

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• For more Boeing 787 order news please visit our Boeing 787 Dreamliner profile