Emirates rejects first 10 Boeing 777X aircraft over outdated design

Emirates has rejected the first 10 Boeing 777X aircraft from its order of 270 jets, with airline president Sir Tim Clark saying they are too outdated to justify the extensive modifications needed to meet the latest design standards.

Speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow, Clark said the aircraft, originally built in 2019 and ordered at around $440 million each, have been overtaken by years of design changes resulting from the programme’s repeated delays. Emirates, which has been waiting seven years for the first deliveries, has informed Boeing that it will not accept the initial batch.

The Boeing 777X programme has suffered multiple setbacks, including a static-test failure, pushing its entry into service from the original 2020 target to 2027 at the earliest. Clark suggested that Boeing could sell the aircraft elsewhere, joking that they were better suited to be turned into “baked bean cans,” adding that “Heinz would be interested.“

Despite rejecting the first 10 aircraft, Emirates remains committed to its overall order of 270 Boeing 777X jets, which will form a key part of the airline’s future long-haul fleet once production aircraft meet the required specifications.