EMIRATES AIRLINE last week signed a deal worth US$5.6bn (R42.5bn) for the purchase of ten Boeing 747-8Fs, with purchase rights for a further ten. The contract for the freighters formalises the airline’s order announced at the Farnborough Air Show earlier this year. The acquisition will position the carrier to take advantage of a strong regional and international cargo market, according to HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman and chief executive, Emirates Airline and Group Air cargo. Traffic into, out of and within the Middle East accounted for 5.8% of the world’s tonnage and nearly 5% of the world’s revenue tonne-kilometers during 2005.
