Sheikh Ahmed steps down from DAE role ahead of intense airframer talks

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum, the head of Dubai civil aviation authority and the Emirates group has stepped down from his role as chairman of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE).
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He is succeeded by Mohammed Ahmed Al Zarooni, formerly the managing director of DAE. 

Zarooni confirmed earlier media reports about the appointment and described the change as "a normal transition of leadership" but speculation in the industry is mounting over DAE, and the company is reported as being in intense negotiations with Airbus and Boeing over its future plans.

The director general of Dubai's Department of Finance, Abdelrahman al Saleh, confirmed DAE is in negotiations with Boeing and Airbus. A French daily newspaper reported that DAE may be forced to renegotiate about 220 aircraft orders due to Dubai's financial woes.

According to Reuters, DAE ordered 118 aircraft from Boeing in 2007 and 100 from Airbus. Deliveries of the first of the A320s should have started already.  

 

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