Emirates (EK) president Tim Clark says he expects Boeing to explore a larger version of the Boeing 777X, even as the Dubai-based carrier refuses to accept the first ten Boeing 777-9 jets built for it. Clark made the comments at the Farnborough International Airshow in England. He said the years-long delay to the 777-9 program has given Boeing enough performance data to justify building a stretched variant, informally called the 777-10.
At the same event, Clark confirmed Emirates will not take delivery of the earliest-built 777-9 airframes, some of which are nearly eight years old. The airline says the jets need too much rework to meet current standards, and this has led way for United Airlines to get a hand on its rejected jets. Emirates still expects its first standard 777-9 delivery in the second quarter of 2027, with a fully equipped test aircraft due in Dubai this September for evaluation.
Emirates Reject First Ten 777-9 Jets Over Rework Costs
Clark said Emirates has formally told Boeing it will not accept the first ten or eleven 777-9s originally built for the airline. He explained the decision during a media roundtable at Farnborough. One of the earliest airframes was fully fitted with a cabin back in July 2019 and was originally due for delivery in April 2020.
“If we were to take it next year, they would be eight years old,” Clark said, according to Aviation Week. He added that the aircraft would need a full modification upgrade, since Boeing has changed many parts of the airframe since they were first built. The rework cost, not the age alone, is what pushed Emirates to reject the batch.
Simple Flying reported Boeing has already scrapped at least one Emirates-bound 777-9 rather than pay for the extensive rework. The remaining early-build jets now have an uncertain future, since neither Boeing nor Emirates has said what will happen to them next.
Test Aircraft Heads to Dubai This September for Evaluation
Despite rejecting the early jets, Emirates remains focused on receiving a properly updated 777-9. Clark said one of Boeing’s test aircraft is scheduled to arrive in Dubai this September for a thorough evaluation by Emirates engineers and pilots.
“It will be put through everything we need to put it through,” Clark said. After the campaign, Emirates plans to dismantle the GE Aerospace GE9X engines for deep inspection, since they will have run in demanding test conditions. Clark expects Boeing to show Emirates a fully powered, fully equipped 777-9 in November this year, ahead of certification.
Boeing still needs to complete certification, including approval for extended twin-engine operations, before deliveries can begin. Clark called the second-quarter 2027 delivery target realistic but tight, given that Boeing is simultaneously certifying the 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 narrowbody jets.
Clark Says Boeing Will Likely Build a Bigger 777x
Clark’s most notable comment at Farnborough concerned an aircraft that does not yet exist. He said the extended 777-9 test and certification campaign has generated enough data to convince Boeing that a larger 777X variant is achievable.
“We do want a bigger one,” Clark said, referring to the aircraft informally known as the 777-10, according to FlightGlobal. He pointed to two technical developments supporting his confidence: higher maximum take-off weights and more engine thrust from GE Aerospace. Both changes suggest the aircraft’s structure and powerplant already have room to grow.
Clark said the sheer scale of 777-9 testing, stretched out over years of delay, has effectively become a stress test for a larger derivative. He described himself as “kind of confident” that Boeing’s industrial system could handle building the bigger jet. Boeing has not confirmed a launch decision for the 777-10.
How the 777-10 Talk Fits Emirates’ Broader 777x Order Strategy
Clark’s Farnborough remarks build on an announcement Emirates made at the Dubai Airshow in November 2025. At that event, Emirates ordered 65 more Boeing 777-9 jets worth $38 billion at list prices. That order pushed Emirates’ total 777X commitment to 270 aircraft, making it the type’s largest customer worldwide.
Crucially, Emirates negotiated options to convert some of those 777-9 orders into the 777-8 or the still-unlaunched 777-10, per an Emirates press release. Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the airline is “keen for manufacturers to build larger capacity aircraft” that operate more efficiently as air traffic grows. Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief Stephanie Pope called Emirates a partner of 40 years and welcomed its renewed commitment to the 777X program.
This means the Farnborough comments were not a new request. They were Clark restating, and adding technical justification to, a conversion option Emirates already built into its order book eight months earlier. The difference this time is that Clark tied the case for a bigger jet directly to real flight-test data, rather than to general market demand.
Why Emirates Wants a Jet Bigger Than the 777-9
Industry analysts have long noted that the 777-9 sits in an awkward spot. Some observers say it is too large for many US carriers but not quite big enough to fully replace Gulf carriers’ largest jets, a point noted by industry coverage of the program’s order history. Emirates operates the world’s largest fleet of Airbus A380 superjumbos and has said it plans to fly them into the 2040s.
Boeing currently lists the 777-9 with a range of 7,285 nautical miles and seating for up to 426 passengers, based on figures from Simple Flying’s coverage of the order. A larger 777-10 would push those numbers higher, giving Emirates a jet closer in capacity to the A380 but with the operating economics of a twinjet. The following features already distinguish the 777-9 from its predecessor, the 777-300ER:
- Composite wings with folding wingtips, allowing the aircraft to use standard airport gates
- GE9X engines from GE Aerospace, the largest jet engines ever built
- A cabin seating configuration built for up to 426 passengers
- A design range of 7,285 nautical miles
What Comes Next for Emirates and the 777x Program
Emirates’ near-term priority remains getting its first compliant 777-9 into service. The September test campaign in Dubai and the November showcase of a fully equipped aircraft are the two milestones Clark is watching most closely before the Q2 2027 delivery target.
Longer term, Clark’s Farnborough comments signal that Emirates will keep pushing Boeing toward a larger jet, using its position as the largest 777X customer as leverage. Boeing has not announced a formal launch decision or timeline for the 777-10. Any decision would likely depend on how smoothly the 777-9 certification and early operations proceed through 2027.
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