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Emirates values deal at $38 billion

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Airline backs feasibility study for larger 777-10

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Emirates has now ordered total of 270 777x family jets

(Recasts, adds details, deal value)

By Ahmed Elimam and Tim Hepher

DUBAI, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Dubai-based airline Emirates

said on Monday it was ordering another 65 Boeing 777-9 jets,

cementing its position as the world's biggest buyer of wide-body

jets as the U.S. planemaker agreed to carry out a feasibility

study for a larger version.

Emirates valued the deal for Boeing's ( BA ) largest in-production

jet at $38 billion, though analysts say carriers typically win

steep discounts for large transactions.

The announcement at the opening of the Dubai Airshow brings

Emirates' orders for the 777X family to 270 jets and comes

despite recent delays in delivery of the world's largest

twin-engined jetliner.

"It is a long-term commitment that supports hundreds of

thousands of high-value factory jobs," Emirates CEO Sheikh Ahmed

bin Saeed Al Maktoum told a news conference.

EMIRATES BACKS FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR 777-10

Emirates said its agreement with Boeing ( BA ) "provides strong

backing" for a new feasibility study to be carried out by Boeing ( BA )

to develop a 777-10, a larger variant of its 777X family.

The deal provides Emirates with options to convert its

latest order for the 400-seat 777-9 into the possible 777-10, if

Boeing ( BA ) decides to go ahead with such a development, or else the

smaller existing 777-8 version, the airline said in a statement.

Bloomberg earlier reported that Emirates was set to place an

order for dozens of 777X jets.

Attention at the air show will now be on whether the carrier

also orders more Airbus A350s.

Emirates is the largest customer for the 777X which is now

seven years late after a $4.9 billion charge and a further

one-year delay in deliveries to 2027, which was announced last

month.

The airline's president Tim Clark told a recent podcast

hosted by Abu Dhabi-based The National that he hoped Boeing ( BA ) or

Airbus would build larger models of their biggest

long-haul jets but described both planemakers as "very

risk-averse".

Emirates, now in its 40th year, championed the Airbus A380

superjumbo, the world's largest airliner, to feed its Dubai hub

with long-haul passengers. But Airbus stopped producing the

double-decker in 2021 after weak demand from other carriers.