Emirates CEO Tim Clark is positive about the aviation recovery as three successful vaccines have already been developed and vaccinations can begin soon. As a result, he expects demand for airline tickets to return by mid-next year and to return all of his airline’s Airbus A380s by early 2022.
“My own expectation, and it is always optimistic, is that by the end of next calendar year or the first quarter of 2022 all of our A380s will be flying,” said Clark in an interview with Bloomberg. With more than 100 aircraft, Emirates is by far the world’s largest user of the double-deck Airbus, production of which will end next year.
Emirates also has a large order for the Boeing 777X outstanding, but Clark has no idea when they will join the fleet. “I have no idea,” said Clark. “They were to be delivered in June this year, then it became 2021 and then 2022. The certification program is not yet completed.”