Emirates & Airbus announce joint venture on aviation services

Emirates, the international airline of the UAE, and Airbus, the European aircraft manufacturer, today announced their intention to create a joint venture company to provide a range of aviation services. The services offered will include trading in used aircraft and used spares, as well as airline consultancy.

Consultancy will be offered to airlines to cover items such as fleet, route and business planning. On the used aircraft and spares front, the aim will be to act like a remarketing agent or broker, realising value for airlines from assets that are no longer needed.

Both organisations have been working together in recent months to conduct in-depth feasibility studies, and today have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the creation of a jointly owned company.

"The long standing, close partnership, between Emirates and Airbus will be strengthened by this venture", says Emirates Chairman HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, “and we look forward to further building on our already strong ties.” "We have identified an opportunity to combine our world class qualities and expertise to deliver a new range of services to the airline industry", adds Airbus Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard.

The joint venture, will be created during the first half of 2002 and will be based in Dubai, with equal participation by both organisations.

Emirates is the largest Airbus customer in the Middle East, and Airbus aircraft make up the bulk of its fleet. The international airline of the UAE, Emirates has consistently been one of the world’s fastest growing carriers.

With the world’s most modern and extensive airliner family on offer, Airbus is consistently winning about a half of large airliner sales - 100 seats and above - and currently has firm orders for some 4,400 airliners and more than 200 customers and operators around the globe. Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.