• 777x Orders To Date
• Emirates Cancel 777x

By Alexander Cornwell

Emirates originally ordered 150 777X ats the 2013 Dubai Air Show: 115 777-9s and 35 -8s. Another six were added as orders for the 777-300ERs were converted to -9s, bringing total commitments to 156. At the 2019 Dubai Air Show, the airline converted 30 777X into 30 787-9s. 2 days ago  Emirates, one of the 777X’s initial customers, declined to comment. It had previously signalled its intention to swap more of its 115 orders for Dreamliners after whittling down its original order in late 2019. The Dubai-based carrier may have more leverage to do so if its contracts have provisions – standard in the industry – that allow. Gulf carrier Emirates is seeking to switch between 30 and 40 of its 115 commitments for the 777X to the Dreamliner as it calibrates fleet plans, said the source, who asked not to be identified discussing private considerations.

DUBAI (Reuters) - Emirates Airline President Tim Clark on Wednesday said Boeing Co's 777X might not enter into service with airlines until 2023 or even later, amid uncertainty over the development timeline of Boeing's biggest twin-engine jet and when it will be certified.

Boeing has been developing the widebody jet, a new version of its popular 777 aircraft, with the goal of releasing it in 2022, already two years later than planned.

The 777X will be the first major jet to be certified since software flaws in two Boeing 737 MAX planes caused fatal crashes and prompted accusations of cozy relations between the company and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

'It is a question of when that aircraft is going to be completed and certified and offered for entry of service. That could be '22, could be '23, it could be even longer,' Clark told Reuters in an interview.

'So we will just wait and see as to what Boeing will do with regard to that and we will take a view as to how they fit into the fleet at that particular time.'

Boeing could not be immediately reached for comment.

Clark said he expected regulators to place the new jet under higher level of scrutiny as a result of the MAX crisis, and Boeing's Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith has warned the market entry would be influenced by the requirements of regulators.

But Clark doubted this would add significantly to existing delays.

'This is essentially a modern 777, which of course is a workhorse for international travel and it has been a thoroughly reliable, excellent bit of Boeing design so I don't see why the 777X should be any different,' Clark said.

European regulators have said in particular that they will subject the 777X to extra scrutiny after the fatal crashes prompted the 20-month grounding of the 737 MAX.

The MAX crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people within five months in 2018 and 2019 and triggered multiple investigations and weakened U.S. influence over global aviation.

Emirates originally ordered 150 of the 777X series, which seats up to 406 people, and now has 126 on order. Analysts say the COVID-19 crisis has clouded the demand for such big jets.

The plane was originally due to enter service with Emirates in June 2020.

777x Orders To Date

Emirates Cancel 777x

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Chris Reese and Aurora Ellis)