The carrier, the biggest customer for the Airbus A380 superjumbo with 90 orders, has previously said it planned to expand its fleet to eventually include 120 of the jets.

"It is more positive that we might sign something," Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum said when asked about the likelihood of aircraft purchases at the airshow.

The airline's president said this week Emirates had seen no drop in demand despite a weakening global economy.