Dubai Air Show opened on Sunday, November 12, with hometown long-haul carrier Emirates Airlines making a US$15.1 billion buy of American-made Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, as the largest defense companies in the world promoted their weapons amid heightened tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Other airlines are also taking part. Missing from the trade show in 2017, however, is one of the largest long-haul carriers in the region, Qatar Airways, amid diplomatic fallout between 4 Arab nations and Qatar.

The Boeing announcement came following more than an hour and a half of delays by the carrier Emirates Airlines amid rumors of possible Airbus sale involving company's major workhorse A380 aircraft. 

Boeing 787-10 typically lists for US$312.8 million. Delivery will start in 2022.

The business of Emirates Airlines suffered under travel bans by Trump affecting predominantly Muslim nations, and the recent ban on laptops in airplane cabins. The carrier revealed it slashed 20% of the flights to the United States in the wake of these restrictions. That in turn hurt Dubai International Airport, home base of Emirates and the busiest international travel hub in the world.