19 hours Ago By Rytis Beresneviius
Emirates has ordered five additional Boeing 777F cargo aircraft for its subsidiary Emirates SkyCargo, its second 777F order in 2024, with the first coming shortly before the Farnborough International Airshow in July. Quick Links Booming cargo demand Delivered in two years Bridging a gap Supply chain issues Booming cargo demand According to Boeing’s announcement on October 21, 2024, Emirates’ order for the quintet of 777Fs was finalized in September, with the manufacturer adding the five cargo aircraft to its orders and deliveries filings under an unidentified customer. Still, the latest 777F order has increased Emirates’ order book of Boeing’s widebody aircraft to 249, including 14 777F aircraft.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Emirates , said that the airline was further investing in its freighter fleet to meet surging demand for cargo, with the latest order helping the airline to provide its global customer base with even more flexibility, connectivity, and options to leverage market opportunities. “Demand for Emirates' air cargo services has been booming. This reflects Dubai's growing prominence as a preferred and trusted global logistics hub, and also the success of Emirates SkyCargo's bespoke solutions that address the needs of shippers in different industry sectors.
” The company is looking to triple its cargo flight by the end of the decade. Delivered in two years While Boeing did not disclose the delivery dates of the aircraft, Emirates’ announcement stated that the manufacturer should hand over the five 777Fs in 2025 and 2026. As a result, the Dubai, the United Arab Emirates-based airline should operate up to 21 777Fs by 2026, or nine more than its current fleet of freighters.
According to ch-aviation data, the airline now has 12 777Fs, which were delivered between September 2012 and August 2024. Boeing delivered the latest cargo aircraft, registered as A6-EFV, on August 16, the site’s fleet records showed. Emirates’ 777F fleet expanding to 21 aircraft will also be enabled by the airline extending its lease agreements for four 777Fs with Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) Capital.
Out of 12 aircraft of the type, nine are owned by DAE Capital, while the other three are on Emirates’ balance sheet, ch-aviation indicated. The Dubai-based carrier recently added a new freighter to its fleet, making it the 11th 777F. Bridging a gap Stephanie Pope, the president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA), added that Boeing appreciated that Emirates has continued to trust the manufacturer, as Boeing aircraft are the backbone of its fleet.
In addition to the 12 777Fs, Emirates also has 118 Airbus A380 , four 747-400F (wet leased from other operators), ten 777-200LR, and 121 777-300ER, with its fleet totaling 266 aircraft, including a sole Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) ACJ319. Nevertheless, with the two 777F orders, with the other being placed before this year’s Farnborough International Airshow , Emirates has not only further bolstered its fleet of freighter aircraft but has also helped Boeing further bridge a gap until it can deliver the 777X , including the 777-8F. The manufacturer delayed the 777-9 and 777-8F to 2026 and 2028, respectively, leaving its customers without an option for a next-generation freighter for another year.
According to Boeing, it still has 71 777F aircraft to deliver. Its last 777F delivery were one each to Emirates, CMA CGM Air Cargo, and Lufthansa Cargo on August 16, and the plane maker should hand over another two in October and another pair of 777Fs in December, according to ch-aviation estimates. Prior to the Turkish Airlines order, Boeing had 53 gross orders for the 777F, which does not include orders for the 777-8F.
777F affected by supply chain issues Boeing’s Q2 US Securities and Exchange (SEC) commission filing also read that Boeing was producing four 777/777X aircraft per month. At the same time, the manufacturer cited supply chain delays and challenges associated with the production of the 777X. Just as Boeing’s machinists went on strike on September 13 , Brian West, the chief financial officer (CFO) and executive vice president of finance of Boeing, spoke at the Morgan Stanley Laguna Conference on the same day.
There, West shared that Boeing expected lower 777 deliveries in 2024 due to engine availability, which has been a constraint. Furthermore, the two machinists’ unions have been on strike. While a new contract offer has been facilitated by Julie Su, the Secretary of Labor, and accepted by Boeing and the unions , members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751 and District W24 will vote on it on October 23.
Considering that the two sides have been seemingly far apart, especially after the last round of negotiations, the strike could very well continue, further derailing the production plans of the 777F. At the same time, the tentative agreement (TA) included some of the demands made by the unions and its members, which could point to the strike potentially ending shortly after the vote on October 23. Boeing filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against the two IAM lodges.
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