(AFP, DUBAI,) - Dubai's Emirates Airline said Tuesday it will take delivery of three more Airbus A330 aircraft in November and December 2000 and March 2001 as part of its modernisation programme.
The contract takes to 21 the firm orders for A330s Emirates has placed with Airbus Industrie, the European airliner consortium.
Of the previous 18 A330 aircraft ordered, nine have already been delivered "with the remainder scheduled to join the fleet between now and April 2002," Emirates said in a statement.
"The A330-200 is gradually replacing the Emirates fleet of Airbus A310-300 and A300-600R aircraft."
Emirates, which belongs to the Dubai government, is aiming to become the Middle East's leading airline, pushing passenger volumes to five million this financial year and up to seven million by 2003.
It announced at the end of April that it had ordered five of the new Airbus A3XX superjumbo airliners and taken an option on five more, making it the first buyer of the new plane.
The new plane, which has been under research for four years, will be able to carry 555 passengers non-stop up to 14,150 kilometers (8,800 miles).
© Agence France-Presse 2000
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
