DAE crisis continues as Boeing widebody orders are cancelled

This suggests Boeing will have received cancellations for 25 widebody aircraft. Boeing declined comment on the identity of the customer, however the company's orders and deliveries website no longer lists DAE as a customer for 10 777-300ER and 15 787-8 aircraft ordered in 2007.

DAE was unreachable for comment. Arabian Aerospace reported several weeks ago that the government-owned company was in crisis. The global recession and the collapse of the Dubai's burgeoning real estate market and subsequent value has resulted in severe cutbacks of DAE's ambitious expansion plans into aircraft leasing and support.

Dubai Government's head of aviation matters, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum, who is also chairman or Emirates, stepped down from his role of chairman of DAE last month making way for an in-house promotion.

At the Farnborough Air Show two weeks ago Airbus admitted that DAE seems likely to struggle to accept all of the aircraft it ordered at the Farnborough Air Show two previously when it signed large aircraft orders with both main airframers including a deal for 30 Airbus A350s and 70 A320s.

Speaking at this year's show, Airbus chief operating officer for customers John Leahy said that it was "no secret" that DAE was "in financial difficulty" adding that the company "may not be able to take all their aircraft, or maybe not on time".

Boeing's order was placed at the 2007 Dubai air show and was part of a $13.7 billion aircraft buying binge to support the Emirate's expansion into the aircraft leasing market. DAE's order for 200 aircraft lifted Airbus and Boeing to record sales in 2007.

DAE's remaining firm orders for Boeing aircraft include 66 737-700s and 4 737-800s, 15 747-8Fs and 8 777F aircraft.