Aviation analysts have been weighing up the impact caused by the cancellation by Emirates of 70 Airbus A350 aircraft.
Emirates said the decision was made following its fleet requirement review.
"There are several ways to look at Emirates cancelling its entire order," wrote Ben Sandilands of Plane Talking.
"One is to see the giant Dubai carrier as having blinked, for the first time, in its seemingly endless programme of massive expansion.
"The other is to see it as suddenly freeing up the A350 line for potential customers who can’t get any until around 2020."
The A350, powered by Rolls-Royce engines, is scheduled to enter service with launch customer Qatar Airways at the end of this year.
Airbus COO-customers John Leahy, speaking to ATW Online at Airbus HQ in Toulouse, said: [Emirates president] "Tim [Clark] does change his mind from time to time and maybe some time in the future he will change his mind again. It’s not good news commercially, but it’s certainly not [bad news] financially.
"It is what it is; life goes on and the [A350] program is in great shape."
