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Emirates, the largest airline in the Arab world, has revealed plans to increase the number of Airbus A380 superjumbo jets it will order, despite the delays experienced by the French airplane manufacturer. The Middle-Eastern carrier has of yet placed an order of 58 units for this model of aircraft.

Emirate chairman and chief executive Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum said that his company has no plans to cancel its previous order of A380s and has even suggested that the carrier is considering boosting its load of the huge aircraft, thanks to other major airlines which have decided to postpone their own scheduled deliveries.

Mr Saeed al Maktoum said some airlines have experienced a delay in the delivery of their A380s due to a backlog at Airbus, but didn't go into the details concerning the name of the other companies or the number of planes they had ordered.

The European aircraft manufacturer has still to deliver 53 of the 58 ordered superjumbo jets by Emirates.

According to the president of the Dubai-based carrier Tim Clark, the airline has been very successful lately and has taken advantage of the healthy demand which exists in certain cities in China, India, Africa and South America to develop new air connections.

Mr Clark added that cost cutting measures combined with lower fuel prices has help the company to experience healthy financial results, adding that the carrier was already in a strong position due to its main Dubai hub benefiting from a key geographical location.

Dubai is undoubtedly the best location for a hub in that part of the world as it can act as the perfect jumping point between destinations in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia.

Despite a lower yield per seat, the airline currently enjoys a load factor of 80 percent in the region, and a recruitment freeze combine with an efficiency drive has resulted in a 16 per cent reduction of its expenditure.

Meanwhile, the UAE image has been boosted some more thanks to great news coming out of London last weekend.

The country received a total of 10 major awards at the 16th edition of the glitzy World Travel Awards, with Etihad Airways, the other major carrier in the UAE, receiving the title of the world's leading airline and Dubai international airport receiving the world's best airport prize.

by Helen Young