Emirates Cancels Airbus A340-600s

Airbus-A380

Reports today say that Emirates has canceled its order for 10 A340-600 aircraft from Airbus.

Emirates will, instead, go with Boeing 777s.

In addition, Emirates is apparently also talking to Boeing about a new passenger version of the 747 — a stretched 747-8, according to President Tim Clark.

Could Clark’s words be a not-so-subtle warning message to Airbus in regard to Emirate’s current order of 43 Airbus A380s? If I were a betting person, I’d say yes.

Meanwhile — it was also announced today that Qantas has agreed to buy eight more of the A380s and four more A330-200s.

Given the money Qantas is already going to receive from Airbus because of delays in the delivery of the A380 and confirmed delivery date assurances in this new order — I’d be willing to bet that the net cost to Qantas of its A380s is going to be, er, quite reasonable.