A350 works for Qatar Airways, so should also work for Emirates, Airbus chief says

The chief executive of Airbus has brushed off requests by Emirates for an A350 aircraft that copes better with hot and humid conditions.

Emirates said last month that it would postpone a decision to choose between the Boeing 787-10 aircraft or Airbus A350-900 - depending on which manufacturer would work with Emirates on its requirements.

“The A350-900 has much more flexibility when you want to take-off in a very hot and humid condition,” Fabrice Brégier, president and chief executive of Airbus told The National in an interview at the Dubai Airshow.

Emirates, the biggest operator of the Boeing 777 aircraft, has been considering an order of as many as 100 long-range planes.

But it is yet to decide between rivals Boeing and Airbus.

Mr Brégier added that his company had sold the A350 to Qatar Airways and that the climate between Doha and Dubai was “not that different”.

“If it works for Qatar Airways, I suspect that it will also work for Emirates. It is not much hotter here,” he said.

Emirates cancelled an order of 70 A350 planes in June 2014 worth about $16 billon at 2007 list prices. The Dubai airline said it wants to see the plane performing before it makes a decision.