The chief executive of Emirates Airline is sceptical Boeing can meet its new goal of delivering the first 777-9 in 2026, citing the programme’s currently stalled status.
“Given the type inspection authorisation halt on the 777X, with no clear timeline for the restart, coupled with ongoing strikes, I fail to see how Boeing can make any meaningful forecasts of delivery dates,” says Emirates CEO Tim Clark in a statement.
His comments respond to Boeing’s 11 October disclosure that it revised the 777-9 schedule again, saying it now expects to deliver the first of the type in 2026, not in 2025 as previously targeted. The 777-9 is the first variant of the 777X family.
“Emirates has had to make significant and highly expensive amendments to our fleet programmes 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,” Clark adds.
In July, Boeing said it had finally started the long-delayed 777-9’s certification-flight-test campaign after the Federal Aviation Administration granted the aircraft its TIA. That document authorises flight tests for certification credit and confirms an aircraft is expected to meeting certification standards.
But progress came to a halt in late August, when Boeing said it grounded its four-strong 777-9 test fleet after discovering that an engine-related structural component called a “thrust link” had failed. Thrust links transfer thrust from the engines to aircraft structures. Flight tracking data shows the four test aircraft have not resumed flying.
Emirates declines to elaborate on Clark’s mention of the 777-9’s TIA “halt”, saying it has nothing more to share.
The FAA did not respond to a request for comment. Boeing declined to comment, pointing only to a previously issued statement about the latest 777-9 delay.
“On the 777X programme, the challenges we have faced in development, as well as from the flight-test pause and ongoing work stoppage, will delay our programme timeline. We have notified customers that we now expect first delivery in 2026,” that statement said.
The delay came as no surprise, considering Boeing is embroiled in a costly machinists’ strike and that its 777-9 certification-flight-test programme has been on ice since August.
Members of the 33,000-strong International Association of Machinists walked off the job on 13 September amid employment contract negotiations. Boeing’s 737, 767 and 777 production lines have since ceased.
Clark, whose airline holds orders for 205 777X, has in recent years repeatedly expressed frustration with Boeing’s struggles in bringing the 777-9 to market, and with the company’s quality troubles.
The outspoken Emirates chief has on numerous previous occasions correctly predicted that Boeing would not hit its prior 777-9 service-entry timelines.
Boeing launched the 777X development programme in 2013, at the time aiming for service entry in 2020. The programme stalled repeatedly, including earlier this decade as Boeing worked to recover from the 737 Max groundings. That event led the FAA to significantly heighten scrutiny of the 777-9.
