Emirates to retire 26 aircraft in 2016 as new deliveries arrive

The airline will take delivery of 36 new aircraft in 2016 including 20 A380s and 16 Boeing 777-300ERs

8 December 2015

Dubai carrier Emirates said that it will retire around 26 aircraft from its current fleet in 2016 as it takes delivery of new airplanes.

Emirates said that it will retire 12 A330-300s, four A340-300s, one A340-500, six Boeing 777-200ERs, two Boeing 777-300s and one Boeing 777-300ER next year. The airline did not reveal how many aircraft it retired this year but reports suggest 10 aircraft have been phased out between 2014 and 2015.

In August this year, the Dubai carrier completely phased out the Boeing 777-200 from its fleet as part of its strategy to maintain a young fleet. The airline added that the average age of the aircraft slated for retirement in 2016 will be 15.7 years, well below the average industry retirement age of 25.

Emirates also revealed plans to retire 13 additional aircraft in 2017, followed by another 13 in 2018.

In order to balance its fleet retirement plans, the carrier said that it will take delivery of 36 new aircraft in 2016 including 20 A380s and 16 Boeing 777-300ERs. Following the fleet revamp, Emirates’ average fleet age will be 5.6 years at the end of 2016, much younger than the global average. According to research quoted by the airline, the average fleet age for the top five airlines – in North America is 13.6 years and – in Europe is 10.7 years.

Currently, the total number of aircraft in the Emirates fleet stands at 244. In 2015, the airline received 26 new aircraft, including 15 A380s, 10 Boeing 777-300ERs and one Boeing 777 Freighter. The airline has 262 additional aircraft on order, worth over $120bn at list prices. Its order book includes 71 Airbus A380s, 42 Boeing 777-300ERs, 115 Boeing 777-9Xs and 35 Boeing 777-8Xs.

Emirates, the oldest of the three major Gulf carriers, has been revamping its fleet as it launches new routes and expands its network. Replacing older aircraft with new units also provides Emirates with fuel-efficient airplanes, the airline said.