Powering an Aviation Innovator for 40 Years

In October 1985, when two aircraft took off from Dubai International Airport, heading to Karachi and Mumbai, few in the United Arab Emirates or in the global aviation industry understood the true significance of what had just happened.

The two leased aircraft constituted the initial fleet of the nascent Emirates, an airline that over the subsequent 40 years has transformed long-haul air travel and set the benchmark for world-class service and passenger experience. That same year, the airline launched Emirates SkyCargo, an air freight service that is today one of the world's largest. All of those aircraft were powered by engines made by GE Aerospace or one of its partners.

In the decades since, Emirates has pioneered one innovation after another. This extends from the passenger experience - where it was the first airline to install personal screens at every seat - to fleet design, where it was the first airline to sign up for the Airbus A380, the world's largest commercial aircraft.

From two destinations in 1985 to more than 150 at the end of 2025, Emirates has demonstrated that the UAE is an ideal hub for long-haul air traffic between Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

"Throughout its steady, ambitious growth, Emirates Airlines has demonstrated to the aviation industry what innovation can look like. GE Aerospace has been a committed partner supporting this journey from the beginning," says Aziz Koleilat, president and CEO of GE Aerospace for the Middle East, Türkiye, and CIS region.

"GE Aerospace shares a commitment to progress, partnership, reliability, and efficiency," he adds. "Over the years, this has included supporting Emirates as it developed expertise in engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul services, software deployment for optimization, and other operational improvements. We also established the Middle East Technology Center, a research, analysis, and support center to help regional airlines address durability challenges caused by the hot and harsh environment common in the UAE and wider Gulf region."

Today the airline flies the world's biggest fleets of Airbus A380s (most of them powered by the GP7200 engine*) and Boeing 777-300ERs (powered exclusively by the GE90 engine). Emirates also is the world's largest customer for the GE9X engine, which is set to power the Boeing 777X fleet.

"With the GE9X soon set to arrive, we congratulate Emirates on an incredible journey and look ahead to another 40 years of partnership and support to one of the aviation industry's most exciting and forward-looking airlines," Koleilat says.

*The GP7200 engine is manufactured by the Engine Alliance, a 50-50 joint company between GE Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney.