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Emirates' 80th Aircraft Joins Expanding Fleet

See following release issued for Emirates Airline:

Media Release
19 September 2005

Emirates' 80th Aircraft Joins Rapidly-Expanding Fleet

Emirates, one of the world's fastest growing airlines, has notched the 80 mark with its fleet following the arrival of a new Boeing 777-300 ER (Extended Range). All of its aircraft are wide-bodied airliners.

The aircraft is Emirates' fifth Boeing 777-300 ER from a total of 30 that the airline has on firm order. The remaining 25 Boeing 777-300 ERs will be added to the airline's rapidly-expanding fleet by the end of 2007.

The twin-aisle 300 ER currently operates the Auckland-Sydney-Bangkok-Dubai services, one of Emirates' four flights each day from New Zealand.

Dubbed one of the most advanced aircraft in the sky, the 777-300 ER has been specially equipped to Emirates' demanding standards. Its innovative on-board features include mood-lighting that helps reset body clocks and minimises jetlag; Emirates' high-tech Information, Communication and Entertainment (ICE) system which offers more than 500 channels of video, audio and games on demand; noise cancellation headsets; SMS and e-mail from each seat and in-seat five-zone massage system.

Commenting on Emirates' unprecedented expansion, Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, said: "Starting with just two leased aircraft, a Boeing 737 and an Airbus 300 B4, Emirates has grown at a blistering pace, increasing its fleet to 80 aircraft in almost 20 years. Today Emirates operates one of the most modern fleets in the world, with an average aircraft age of only 55 months."

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Intense demand for the airline's services prompted Emirates to embark on an ambitious US$30 billion fleet expansion, added Mr Clark.

"We plan to introduce 21 new aircraft, adding more than one aircraft every month to our fleet, from now until the end of 2006."

The Emirates fleet is forecast to touch the 100-mark by the end of 2006.

Emirates' impressive order book consists of orders for 93 aircraft, including 45 Airbus A380s (two of them freighters), 25 Boeing 777-300ERs, 20 Airbus A340-600 HGWs, one A340-500 and two A310-300F freighters.

Milestones in Emirates' fleet expansion:

-· Emirates announced the largest order in commercial aviation history at the 2003 Paris Air Show, adding 71 new Airbus and Boeing aircraft worth US$19 billion to its order book.

-· Emirates was the first airline to order the revolutionary Airbus A380-800 double-decker. Its order for 45 of the type makes it the largest customer of the Airbus super-jumbo.

-· Emirates was the launch carrier for the new ultra long-haul Airbus A340-500.

ENDS

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