Boeing has finalised a bumper order of 150 777Xs from Emirates Airline due for delivery from 2020, valued at US$56 billion at list prices following initial interest at last year's Dubai Airshow, according to Shipping Gazette.
The order - a combination of 115 777-9Xs and 35 777-8Xs - also includes purchase rights for an additional 50 aircraft that, if exercised, could increase value to $75 billion at list prices.
"With the order for 150 777Xs, Emirates now has 208 Boeing 777s pending delivery, creating and securing jobs across the supply chain," said Emirates president Tim Clark, of an airline that operates more than one in every 10 B777s built.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Ray Conner said: "Being a customer-driven product, I'm confident the 777X - with its new engines and all-new composite wing design - will bring superior value in terms of performance, efficiency and reliability to Emirates and our other launch customers."
The 777X will introduce the latest technologies including the most advanced commercial engine ever, the GE9X by GE Aviation, and an all-new high efficiency composite wing that has a longer span than today's 777.
The 777X family includes the 777-8X and the 777-9X, both designed to respond to market needs and customer preferences. The 777-9X will be 12 per cent more fuel-efficient than any competing aircraft in today's competitive environment, the company claims.
The 777-8X is five per cent more efficient than its competitor at all ranges while providing for new network opportunities.
Design of the 777X is underway and production is set to begin in 2017, with first delivery targeted for 2020. To date, the 777X has accumulated 300 orders and commitments from six customers worldwide.
