DUBAI, June 8: Emirates has ordered two extra Airbus A330-320 aircraft to meet its ambitious expansion plans, the Dubai-owned carrier said on Saturday.

The A330-200s, which have a list price of $279 million, are scheduled for delivery in June and October 2003. They will bring the airline’s A330-200 fleet to 29 aircraft, all powered by Rolls Royce Trent 772 engines.

These new orders have been placed to service the airline’s expansion with new destinations and more flights to existing destinations planned for 2003, subject to the necessary government approvals, said Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmad bin Saeed al-Maktoum.

Emirates has major expansion plans and unveiled orders for 22 of the giant double-decker Airbus A380 aircraft and options for 10 more at a cost of seven billion dollars last November.

It also has on order 37 Boeing 777s, six A340-500s, eight A340-600s and 29 A330s with deliveries ongoing between now and 2010.

Emirates announced Thursday it had signed an agreement worth up to 1.5 billion dollars with GE-PW Engine Alliance of the United States to supply engines for the Airbus A380 superjumbo on order.

Emirates fleet currently numbers 39 Airbus and Boeing aircraft. The fleet is set to comprise of 102 aircraft by the end of the decade.

Passenger numbers rose 18.3 per cent to 6.8m in 2001 as the network grew to 57 destinations in 40 countries. Cargo tonnage was up 19.5 per cent to 400,569 tons.—AFP