Emirates has placed a fresh order for Boeing freight planes, just days after its chairman criticized ongoing delivery delays

An Emirates Boeing 777-200LR. Emirates has over 260 of the 777X on order.

Emirates has announced a fresh order for Boeing 777 freight planes, just days after its chairman publicly criticized the embattled planemaker.

Emirates said Monday that it has ordered five more 777F planes as it seeks to expand its freight capabilities alongside its passenger operation.

Combined with its previous orders and existing fleet, the Dubai-based airline will have 21 freight planes overall, almost doubling its current amount.

The planes, which will fly under the airline’s Emirates SkyCargo brand, are expected to be delivered by the end of 2026, Emirates said.

“We’re investing in new freighter aircraft to meet surging demand and provide our customers around the world with even more flexibility, connectivity, and options to leverage market opportunity,” HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and Group, said.

Emirates is one of Boeing’s biggest customers, so a fresh order of Boeing planes is not unusual. However, the timing of the announcement is noteworthy, coming less than a week after sharp criticism of the company from Tim Clark, Emirates’ chair.

Emirates’ Sir Tim Clark criticized the latest delays to the Boeing 777X last week. 

After Boeing announced that its much-anticipated 777X passenger jet would be further delayed, Clark said he would have a “serious conversation” with Boeing’s management about the continued setbacks to the plane. Emirates has ordered over 260 of the 777X.

“I fail to see how Boeing can make any meaningful forecasts of delivery dates,” Clark said in a statement to B-17.

“Emirates has had to make significant and highly expensive amendments to our fleet programs as a result of Boeing’s multiple contractual shortfalls and we will be having a serious conversation with them over the next couple of months,” he added.

Boeing said earlier in October that it would cut around 10% of its 170,000 workforce and that the first delivery of the 777X would not be ready until 2026, several years after first expected.