Tim Clark, the President of Emirates Airlines, expressed his dissatisfaction after discovering through media channels, rather than directly from Boeing, about the latest updates regarding the 777X aircraft program timeline. He stated that Boeing has failed to adhere to the aircraft delivery schedule.
Boeing’s CEO, Kelly Ortberg, had confirmed that the company would require the entirety of 2026 to finalize the certification process for the 777-9 by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This announcement implies that the delivery of the already delayed wide-body aircraft will not occur until 2027.
While attending a conference in Seville, Clark mentioned, “I recently met with them in New York and prior to that in Seattle, and there was no indication that they would officially announce 2027 as the delivery year. The conversation was focused on completing the certification process by the middle of next year.”
Emirates Airlines has a significant order comprising 35 units of the 777-8 and 170 units of the 777-9. However, the delivery of the first 777-9 aircraft has faced multiple delays from its original scheduled date in 2020.
Clark added, “The official date in our contract was set for October 2025, but I anticipated that delivery would realistically take place in the second half of 2026, with a possibility of further delays until spring 2027.”