Emirates to operate largest wide-body fleet by 2015

Dubai flag carrier Emirates will be the largest wide-body carrier in the world by 2015, according to a report on the Middle East aviation industry by the Boston Consulting Group. The report also says that passenger traffic through the Middle East will reach nearly 140 million in the period 2010-15.

''Over the next five years, we expect that Emirates will continue its ascent and become the largest wide-body carrier in the world. We further expect that its regional peers, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways, won't be far behind in the ranks of the top 20. We project that passenger flows to and from the Middle East will reach nearly 140 million by 2015 – an increase of 45 million during 2010-2015,'' Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said in the report.

It pointed out that the MidEast carrier has almost tripled its capacity and passenger revenues over the last five years.

Currently, Emirate's, Dubai's largest carrier, is the world's second largest airline in terms of wide-body fleet capacity after Air France/KLM.

Last year, Emirates ordered 30 777-300ER wide-body aircraft from US manufacturer Boeing adding to its fleet of 71 of the same type.

The Dubai carrier has 79 A380s, 70 A350s and 7 B777 freighters on order at a list price of more than $67 billion.