Emirates Will Buy 2 More Airbus A380s For $35 Million Each

Emirates is set to purchase two more of its leased Airbus A380s later this year. According to a London Stock Exchange filing from the aircraft’s current owner, both A6-EDP and A6-EDT will be purchased by the UAE giant before the end of the year. Last year, the airline purchased another of its aircraft from the same lessor.

Many airlines are trying to sell unused Airbus A380s with little-to-no success. However, one airline is in the market to buy Airbus A380s, but only the giants that it is already operating. Dubai-based Emirates is slowly purchasing its A380s from some of its lessors.

$35 million for an Airbus A380

In an update issued on the London Stock Exchange yesterday, Doric Nimrod Air Two revealed that it has agreed to sell two of the seven Airbus A380s that it owns to Emirates in the coming months as their leases expire. According to the update, MSN 77 (E6-EDP) is expected to be sold on October 14th, with MSN 90 (A6-EDT) following on December 2nd. These dates are exactly 12 years after the respective aircraft were delivered to Emirates. Commenting on the sale price, Doric Nimrod Air Two Limited’s board remarked,

“The sale proceeds to be paid by Emirates to the Company are £28.9m in respect of each Asset (equivalent to US$35m, an aggregate combined total of US$70m for the two Assets).”

Photo: Ceri Breeze | Shutterstock

An Emirates spokesperson confirmed the transition to Simple Flying but declined to comment on the purchase. At the start of the year, Simple Flying reported that Emirates had bought a (then) 14-year-old Airbus A380 from Doric Nimrod Air One. This aircraft was sold for £25.3 million ($30.5 million), again 12 years after its delivery.

About the aircraft

Both of the aircraft that Emirates is about to purchase are currently in storage at Dubai World Central Airport (DWC), having not flown for the past three years. It may seem odd to be buying the aircraft when they are not in use. However, Emirates President Sir Tim Clark has been very vocal about the Airbus A380’s future at Emirates, meaning these aircraft will likely still return to the skies, perhaps as other A380s are retired or to boost the flying Airbus A380 fleet further.

Photo: Emirates

Here are some key stats for both aircraft from ch-aviation, compared to A6-EDC, which was sold for $4.5 million less last December,

Could Emirates buy more Airbus A380s?

The latest Airbus A380 purchase could indicate that Emirates might buy more of the jets from lessors. Doric Nimrod Air Two said it will still own five more Airbus A380s leased to Emirates. The agreed leases of these five aircraft will expire between October 1st and November 24th next year, at which point Emirates would also be able to purchase them. Emirates hopes to fly its Airbus A380s into the 2040s, and with the airline’s A350s and 777Xs still a way off, buying more jets as their lease ends seems like a natural option for the UAE carrier.

Photo: Richard Brew | Shutterstock

According to data from ch-aviation, Doric Asset Finance currently owns 15 of Emirates’ Airbus A380s through funds such as Doric Nimrod Air Two. The entire remaining Emirates A380 fleet is owned as follows,

What do you make of the Emirates Airbus A380 sales? Let us know what you think and why in the comments below!

Sources: ch-aviation, Doric Nimrod Air Two, London Stock Exchange