At the ongoing Dubai Airshow 2023, Emirates and Boeing have confirmed that the former has placed an order for 95 new widebody jets from the latter. The order includes fifty-five 777-9s, thirty-five 777-8s and five 787 Dreamliners. Furthermore, the Dubai-based carrier is converting thirty 787-9s to twenty 787-8s and ten 787-10s.

Also Read: Dubai Airshow 2023: SunExpress To Buy Up To 90 Boeing Jets

With the latest order, Emirates’ backlogs for Boeing’s 777X and 787 Dreamliners rise to 205 and 35, respectively. The two companies have been doing business since the early 90s. Presently, the airline has nearly 150 Boeing 777 aircraft in its fleet. In fact, Emirates is the world’s largest 777 operator.

The 777-9 is touted to become the world’s most fuel-efficient twin-engine widebody jet. It can carry up to 429 passengers in a typical two-class layout and fly nonstop for 13,510km (7,295 nautical miles). On the other hand, the Boeing 777-8 seats 395 passengers and offers a range of up to 16,190km (8,745 nautical miles).

Born in 1989, SunExpress is a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa. At the ongoing Dubai Airshow 2023, the carrier has inked an agreement with Boeing to purchase up to 90 single-aisle jets. The paperwork specifies a firm order for twenty-eight units of 737-8 and seventeen of 737-10 and an option to buy an additional forty-five 737 Max aircraft. This new order builds on the SunExpress’ previous one for forty-two 737-8s, nine of which have been delivered by Boeing.

The Turkey-based airline will have doubled its fleet by the time the latest order is completed. Here’s what Max Kownatzki, CEO at SunExpress, said in an official statement:

Over the next decade, we will more than double our fleet, reaching a 150-aircraft fleet by 2033. Also, the addition of the 737-10, the newest 737 MAX plane with up to 230 seats, to our fleet will allow us to strengthen our capacity further. SunExpress is well-positioned for the future and will expand its network with a more fuel-efficient and environmentally sustainable aircraft fleet, while continuing to fulfill its role as Türkiye’s tourism ambassador.

Italy’s flag carrier, ITA Airways, has taken delivery of its first A321neo, on lease from Air Lease Corporation, from Airbus’ Hamburg production facility. The new jet will help the airline bolster its medium-haul routes. The aircraft has a three-class layout consisting of 12 Business Class full flat beds with direct aisle access, 12 Premium Economy seats and 141 Economy seats, of which 12 are dedicated to Comfort Economy. In addition to XL-sized overhead storage bins and full-LED lighting, every seat has an in-flight entertainment system with individual displays and on-demand content.

ITA Airways’ all-Airbus fleet currently stands at 81, including the latest-gen A220, A320neo, A330neo and A350 aircraft.

Those travelling to Germany on an Air India flight will appreciate this new development. The carrier has inked an intermodal interline agreement with WorldTicket, the exclusive distributor for Europe’s largest railway operator – Deutsche Bahn.

This enables Air India customers to travel on a single intermodal ticket beyond Frankfurt to over 5,600 train stations in Germany on the Deutsche Bahn network. It especially comes in handy for travelling to cities without airports. Furthermore, the travellers can take train connections to and from Amsterdam, Brussels and Zurich via Air India’s Frankfurt link and benefit from the same baggage allowance as allowed on the flights. WorldTicket, an IATA travel partner, also has its AOC-holding airline – FlexFlight (W2).

Before this partnership, Air India entered into a similar intermodal agreement to provide travellers access to a network of rail and bus operators across the UK, Italy, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands. Presently, intermodal tickets are available with travel agents worldwide. Progressively, it will be extended to Air India’s own sales channels.

British carrier Virgin Atlantic has restarted flights from London, UK, to Dubai, UAE. The first flight for this winter season flew from London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) on October 30, 2023, and landed at the Dubai International Airport (DXB). This seasonal four-times-a-week service until March 2024 will be operated on a Boeing 787-9 aircraft, featuring 31 Upper Class seats, 35 Premium and 192 Economy Delight, Classic and Light seats. Apart from that, each flight will offer 20 tonnes of cargo capacity. This should be handy for companies looking for a quick turnaround time for exporting or importing goods.

The scheduled departure time for flight VS400 is 18:30, while the expected landing time is 05:30 the next day. The return leg – VS401 – leaves DXB at 13:45 and lands LHR at 17:50 (all times mentioned are local). The return Economy fares start at AED 2,533.

Virgin Atlantic confirms that this particular service between London and Dubai will be ramped up to a daily service in winter 2024 (October 2024 – March 2025).