EMIRATES POSTS PROFIT, ORDERS A3XXs

EMIRATES POSTS PROFIT, ORDERS A3XXs    Emirates, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has reported a 2.2-percent rise in annual profit for its 1999/2000 fiscal year and ordered up to 10 A3XXs from Airbus Industrie for delivery beginning in 2006.
   Emirates, which said it also was considering ordering two A3XX freighters, will be the launch customer for the $230-million, 555-seat aircraft, if it ever gets to production. Airbus estimates that it will take up to $12 billion to start the A3XX project.
   Emirates has ordered five of the jumbo planes for delivery in 2006 and 2007, with an option for five more.
   Emirates Group said its airline division reported profit of $87 million on a 15.1-percent increase in revenue to $1.4 billion. The carrier has been adding capacity, taking delivery of several long-range widebody A330-200s and B777s.
   Cargo continued to grow strongly, with freight traffic increasing 26 percent to 270,000 metric tons.