Originally Posted by skywardhunter

EK are going to leverage Boeings vs Airbus to get the best deal. I wouldn't be terribly surprised to see them still pull an A350 order out of the hat, combined with some discounted A380s.

EK's problem is threefold:

1. Their brand and reputation is very closely linked to the A380, phasing the aircraft out will come with some brand damage, question is, how severe, no doubt they can get over it.
2. They have insisted on only ordering new A380s if they get a neo, which Airbus says won't happen. Do they lose face and order the A380 as it is or are they too proud (and EK is an extremely proud airline!)
3. They aren't growing as fast as expected, so do they take the macro gamble on having the demand to fill the future A380s or do they take the more sensible, conservative gamble given the short-term outlook and buy smaller airframes.

A big question is also around how the FZ partnership pans out. If they can offload skinnier routes to FZ they'll have excess 77Ws which can be put on the routes where the A380 is struggling to be filled. The most sensible purchase would be for 737 MAXs or A321s, or even A330neos, but narrowbodies won't happen anytime soon (see earlier point on pride!).

A combo A330neo/A350XWB order with 10 A380s as a consolation prize might be my bet.