Emirates to close 2014 as world's largest operator of wide-body jets

Dubai-based Emirates Airline Friday said that it will round-off 2014 as the world’s largest operator of wide-body passenger jets in the world with a fleet of 218 aircraft, in addition to 14 freighters.

"This year we have navigated through an 80-day period of reduced operations due to upgrade works at our hub airport, regional conflicts which impacted our operations and flight routes, the Ebola outbreak, fluctuations in oil prices and currency exchange rates, and economic uncertainty in many markets worldwide," Emirates Airline president Tim Clark said.

"Despite all that, Emirates has continued to grow, adding capacity equivalent to a mid-sized airline while maintaining our seat load factors." According to the airline, following two consecutive years of record deliveries and capacity increases, 2014 saw Emirates adding 27 aircraft - 13 Airbus A380s, 12 Boeing 777-300ERs ANS two Boeing 777 freighters - to its fleet. 

These included its 50th A380 and its 100th 777-300ER aircraft, strengthening Emirates’ position as the world’s largest operator of both the A380 and the B777. The airline added that since January 2014, Emirates has carried over 45 million passengers, operating 3,516 flights per week on an average. 

The airline also ferried over 2.1 million tonnes of cargo, served over 47 million meals and flew 756 million kilometres - equivalent to circumnavigating the globe 18,552 times.