Tag Archives: Emirates Group

Emirates Group records an annual loss of AED 3.8 billion (US $1.0 billion)

Emirates Group issued this financial report:

Group records annual loss of AED 3.8 billion (US$1.0 billion) due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impact, a significant improvement from last year with dnata returning to profitability

Group revenue of AED 66.2 billion (US$ 18.1 billion) increased by 86% with strong customer demand as worldwide travel restrictions ease
Ends year with an improved and strong cash balance of AED 25.8 billion (US$7.0 billion)

Emirates reports a significantly reduced loss of AED 3.9 billion (US$1.1 billion) compared with AED 20.3 billion (US$5.5 billion) loss in the previous year

Revenue up 91% to AED 59.2 billion (US$16.1 billion), as airline expanded global capacity and reinstated more passenger flights
Airline capacity increased by 47% to 36.4 billion ATKMs, with final five A380 aircraft added to its fleet

dnata reports a profit of AED 110 million (US$ 30 million), a solid turnaround from its AED 1.8 billion (US$496 million) loss in the previous year

Revenue increased by 54% to AED 8.6 billion (US$2.3 billion), reflecting recovery from the pandemic across all business divisions in the UAE and worldwide
Expands global footprint with the takeover of easyJet’s global onboard retail services and the opening of new cargo, airport hospitality and retail facilities

The Emirates Group today released its 2021-22 Annual Report which shows strong recovery across its businesses. dnata returns to profitability, and significant revenue improvements were reported across both Emirates and dnata as the Group rebuilt its air transport and travel-related operations which were previously cut-back or curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the financial year ended 31 March 2022, the Emirates Group posted a loss of AED 3.8 billion (US$1.0 billion) compared with an AED 22.1 billion (US$6.0 billion) loss for last year. The Group’s revenue was AED 66.2 billion (US$18.1 billion), an increase of 86% over last year’s results. The Group’s cash balance was AED 25.8 billion (US$ 7.0 billion), up 30% from last year mainly due to strong demand across its core business divisions and markets, triggered by the easing of pandemic-related restrictions.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, said: “This year, we focussed on restoring our operations quickly and safely wherever pandemic-related restrictions eased across our markets. Business recovery picked up pace particularly in the second half of the year. Robust customer demand drove a huge improvement in our financial performance compared to our unprecedented losses of last year and we built up our strong cash balance.

“The health and safety of our people and customers remained a key priority as the world navigated its second full year of the pandemic. Across Emirates and dnata, we responded to dynamic market conditions with agility, and introduced innovative products and services to meet our customers’ needs and provide them with the best possible experience.

“2021-22 was also a significant year as the UAE marked its 50^th anniversary and hosted the world at Expo 2020 Dubai which generated increased global engagement and visitation to the UAE. The Emirates Group was proud to play our part in contributing to the Expo’s success and to the UAE’s jubilee events.”

In 2021-22, Emirates received a further capital injection of AED 3.5 billion (US$ 954 million) from its ultimate shareholder, the Government of Dubai, and the Group tapped on various industry support programmes and availed a total relief of nearly AED 0.8 billion in 2021-22.

As Emirates and dnata ramped up operations, employees previously on furlough or made redundant were recalled and rehired, and new recruitment drives were held to replenish the Group’s talent pool and boost its future capabilities. As a result, the Group’s total workforce increased by 13% to 85,219 employees, representing over 160 different nationalities.

In 2021-22, the Group collectively invested AED 7.9 billion (US$ 2.2 billion) in new aircraft and facilities, and the latest technologies to position the business for recovery and future growth. It also continued to progress its environmental strategy focussed on reducing carbon emissions, consuming resources responsibly, and conserving wildlife and habitats. During the year, the Group supported community, humanitarian and philanthropic initiatives in its various markets, as well as innovation incubators, and other programmes that nurture future solutions for industry growth.

Sheikh Ahmed said: “For the Emirates Group, 2021-22 was largely about recovery, after the toughest year in our Group’s history. It’s not just about restoring our capacity, but also augmenting our future capabilities as we rebuild. Our aim is to build back better and stronger, so that we can deliver even better experiences to our customers and offer more support to the communities we serve.

“We expect the Group to return to profitability in 2022-23, and are working hard to hit our targets, while keeping a close watch on headwinds such as high fuel prices, inflation, new COVID-19 variants, and political and economic uncertainty.

“Our steady investments in infrastructure, technology, people, and partnerships, will continue to give us the ability and advantage in delivering industry-leading products and value to our customers. As Dubai and the UAE move ahead with its strategy for the next 50 years and beyond, the Emirates Group is well positioned to play our role in contributing to economic growth, facilitating global engagement, and making a positive impact on people and communities.”

Emirates performance

Emirates’ total passenger and cargo capacity increased by 47% to 36.4 billion ATKMs in 2021-22, as the airline continued to reinstate passenger services across its network in line with the lifting of pandemic-related flight and travel restrictions.

From 120 destinations at the start of the financial year, to increased operations and capacity growth across over 140 destinations by 31 March 2022, Emirates was able to respond dynamically to serve customer demand wherever opportunities arose, thanks to the resilience of its people and business model. In July, the airline launched a new route to Miami, bringing its total passenger gateways in the US to 12.

To serve the strong rebound in travel demand, Emirates deployed its flagship A380 aircraft to even more cities during the year, bringing its A380 network to 29 destinations as of 31 March 2022.

Helping travellers access even more destinations, in 2021-22, Emirates reinforced its strategic partnerships with Qantas and flydubai, and expanded its interline and codeshare partnerships across Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia including with: Aeromar, airBaltic, Airlink, Azul, Cemair, Garuda Indonesia, Gulf Air, Maldivian, South African Airways and TAP Air Portugal. Emirates also signed agreements and launched initiatives with tourism partners in various destinations to support travel and tourism recovery.

Emirates received its final five new A380 aircraft during the financial year, all equipped with its latest cabin interiors including Premium Economy seats. It also phased out 2 older aircraft comprising of 1 Boeing 777-300ER and 1 Freighter, leaving its total fleet count at 262 at the end of March. Emirates’ average fleet age remains at a youthful 8.2 years.

Emirates’ order book of 197 aircraft remains unchanged at this time. The airline is firmly committed to its long-standing strategy of operating a modern and efficient fleet, which underscores its “Fly Better” brand promise, as young aircraft are better for the environment, better for operations, and better for customers.

With significantly enhanced capacity deployment across most markets, Emirates’ total revenue for the financial year increased 91% to AED 59.2 billion (US$ 16.1 billion). Currency fluctuations this year impacted the airline’s profitability negatively by AED 348 million (US$ 95 million).

Total operating costs increased by 30% from last financial year. Cost of ownership (depreciation and amortisation) and fuel cost were the two biggest cost components for the airline in 2021-22, followed by employee cost. Fuel accounted for 23% of operating costs compared to 14% in 2020-21. The airline’s fuel bill more than doubled to AED 13.9 billion (US$ 3.8 billion) compared to the previous year, driven by a higher uplift of 66% in line with capacity expansion and a higher average fuel price which was up by 75%.

With the removal of pandemic-related flight and travel restrictions globally, the airline managed to substantially improve its financial results and reported a loss of AED 3.9 billion (US$ 1.1 billion) after last year’s AED 20.3 billion (US$ 5.5 billion) loss, and a loss margin of 6.6%, significantly improved compared to 65.6% last year.

Emirates carried 19.6 million passengers (up by 199%) in 2021-22, with seat capacity up by 150%. The airline reports a Passenger Seat Factor of 58.6%, compared with last year’s passenger seat factor of 44.3%; and a 10% decline in passenger yield to 35.1 fils (9.6 US cents) per Revenue Passenger Kilometre (RPKM), due to the change in route mix, fares and currency. Seat load factor and yield results cannot be compared against the previous year’s performance due to the ongoing unusual pandemic situation.

Emirates continued to invest in its products and services to deliver ever better customer experiences. This year, it announced a major retrofit programme to equip 120 of its 777 and A380 aircraft with its new Premium Economy seats and the latest cabin interiors.

It also accelerated digital initiatives to provide customers with smoother and safer journeys, from the quick and secure verification of COVID-19 travel documents, to more biometrics and contactless touchpoints at its Dubai hub.

Emirates continued to lead the industry with initiatives that provide customer assurance as travel restrictions eased and more people made travel plans. It extended its generous rebooking waivers and complimentary COVID-19 medical cover for all customers; and introduced new ways for Emirates Skywards members to earn Miles while extending the expiry of miles and tier status.

In this 2^nd pandemic year, Emirates SkyCargo once again put in a stellar performance and contributed to 40% of the airline’s total transport revenue through its ability to respond rapidly to changing demand patterns in a distorted global marketplace.

Emirates SkyCargo maintained its edge in the global airfreight industry by focusing its customers, bringing innovative solutions to the market, and leveraging its fleet and network capabilities.

Rebuilding its network and capacity, the cargo division intelligently deployed its freighter fleet and belly-hold capacity, to meet customer needs. By 30 June 2021, it had restored services to over 90% of its pre-pandemic network.

During the year, Emirates SkyCargo continued to play an important role in getting COVID-19 vaccines and other medical supplies to communities around the world, and keeping trade lanes open for food supplies, e-commerce and other essential goods. In June 2021, it invested to scale up its pharma cool chain infrastructure in Dubai and by March 2022, Emirates SkyCargo had transported 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

At the Dubai Airshow 2021, Emirates announced a US$ 1 billion investment to acquire 2 new Boeing 777 freighters and convert 4 existing 777-300ER aircraft into freighters.

With steady and strong air freight demand throughout the year, Emirates’ cargo division reported a new record revenue of AED 21.7 billion (US$ 5.9 billion), an increase of 27% over last year.

Freight yield per Freight Tonne Kilometre (FTKM) decreased by 3% as more cargo capacity returned to the global market, but generally remained at high levels compared to the pandemic marketplace due to steady and strong demand.

Tonnage carried increased by 14% to reach 2.1 million tonnes, due to the growth in available bellyhold capacity for the entire year with the reinstatement of more passenger services. At the end of 2021-22, Emirates’ SkyCargo’s total freighter fleet stood at 10 Boeing 777Fs.

Emirates’ hotels portfolio doubled revenue over last year to AED 602 million (US$ 164 million) as it re-opened more facilities to serve the upswing in tourism traffic and the gradual recovery of the meetings and conferences industry.

During the year, Emirates successfully restructured and extended various aircraft leases. The support from aviation lessors and financing partners during these challenging times reflect the financial community’s confidence in Emirates’ business model, and its mid to longer term prospects.

In addition to the AED 9.7 billion (US$ 2.6 billion) financing that was raised for aircraft and general corporate purposes in 2021-22, Emirates has already received committed offers to finance two aircraft deliveries due in 2022-23.

Emirates closed the financial year with solid cash assets of AED 20.9 billion (US$ 5.7 billion), 38% higher compared to 31 March 2021.

dnata performance

Recovery from the pandemic was felt across all dnata businesses, and in 2021-22 dnata returned to profitability with a profit of AED 110 million (US$ 30 million).

With growing flight and travel activity across the world, dnata’s total revenue increased by 54% to AED 8.6 billion (US$ 2.3 billion). dnata’s international business accounts for 62% of its revenue.

dnata continued to lay the foundations for future growth with investments in 2021-22 amounting to AED 370 million (US$ 101 million).

During the year, dnata invested significantly in its cargo handling capabilities. It expanded existing facilities in Sydney, Australia; opened a state-of-the-art cargo centre at London Heathrow airport; and announced a fully automated cargo centre to be built at ‘dnata Cargo City’ at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. It also introduced an advanced “OneCargo” system which digitises and automates business and operational functions at its Iraq cargo operations, with plans to roll out the system across its global cargo network.

In 2021-22, dnata’s operating costs increased by 14% to AED 8.4 billion (US$ 2.3 billion), in line with expanded operations in its Airport Operations, Catering and Travel divisions across the world.

dnata’s cash balance improved by AED 208 million to AED 4.9 billion (US$ 1.3 billion). Net cash used in financing activities, primarily payments for loans and leases, amounted to AED 745 million (US$ 203 million), while the business utilised net cash of AED 246 million (US$ 67 million) in essential investing activities. The business saw a positive operating cash flow of AED 1.2 billion (US$ 332 million) in 2021-22, a reflection of the substantial improvements in revenues.

Revenue from dnata’s Airport Operations, including ground and cargo handling increased to AED 5.7 billion (US$ 1.6 billion).

The number of aircraft turns handled by dnata globally grew by 82% to 527,501, cargo handled increased by 10% to 3.0 million tonnes, reflecting the increase in flight activity across the globe as dnata’s customers re-started their operations wherever market restrictions on flights and travel were lifted.

During 2021-22, dnata expanded its global airport operations footprint into Africa. It signed a concession agreement with The Government of Zanzibar, where dnata will oversee the operations of the island’s newly-built international terminal with its partners, including Emirates Leisure Retail (ELR) who will partner with MMI as master concessionaire for all food and beverage, duty free and commercial outlets at the terminal.

marhaba, dnata’s airport hospitality brand, marked its 30^th year of operations with the launch of its signature meet and greet services at four of Australia’s major airports, a new lounge in Zurich Airport, and a re-designed experience at its flagship lounge at Dubai International.

dnata’s Catering business accounted for AED 1.7 billion (US$ 455 million) of dnata’s revenue, up by 60%. The inflight catering business uplifted 39.9 million meals to airline customers, more than double the number of meals from last year, as its airline customers across the world restored their flight operations.

Significant customer wins during the year include BA CityFlyer, which led to dnata Catering launching operations at London City Airport; and the global inflight retail services contract for easyJet where dnata’s team of inflight retail experts will develop and manage bespoke onboard retail programmes and solutions for the airline.

It also saw significant activity in Australia. As the country re-opened its borders to international travellers, dnata worked closely with airline customers to support their resumption of flight operations. dnata Catering also continued to grow its retail food business with ready-made meals developed by Snapfresh Australia launched in Aldi and Costco stores nationwide.

Revenue from dnata’s Travel Services division has significantly grown by 434% to AED 694 million (US$ 189 million). The reported total transaction value (TTV) of travel services sold increased by 912% to AED 2.3 billion (US$ 632 million), a dramatic reversal from last year. These increases reflect last year’s abnormal situation where the business saw high levels of COVID-19-related booking cancellations.

During the year, dnata introduced several new products and services in the UAE, capitalising on its market expertise, Dubai’s open borders for international travel, the city’s hosting of Expo 2020 as well as other major conferences and sporting events.

For its corporate travel customers, dnata partnered with ExpensePoint to offer an advanced expense reporting solution; renewed a partnership with one of the world’s largest VAT reclaim specialists that will bring additional saving opportunities for duty travel claims; and implemented hybrid meetings and events solutions to provide customers a sustainable alternative to hosting corporate engagements during lockdown.

In the UK, dnata’s Travel Republic brand introduced a new ‘Secure Trust Account’ for package holiday customers that guarantees prompt refunds for customers who have to cancel their flight-inclusive package holiday, as funds are kept secure in a separate account.

dnata also launched its Gold Medal brand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia this year, offering its extensive portfolio of travel products to independent travel agents.

Emirates aircraft photo gallery:

Emirates suspends most passenger operations due to the coronavirus

Emirates has made this announcement:

Emirates retains cargo operations, but temporarily suspends most passenger operations by March 25
dnata significantly reduces operations, including temporary closure of operations at some international locations where demand is low
Group implements basic salary reduction for majority of employees for three months, will not cut jobs
Supports government measures to safeguard community health

Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, Emirates and dnata have been adapting operations in line with regulatory directives as well as travel demand.

The airline has aimed to maintain passenger flights for as long as feasible to help travellers return home amidst an increasing number of travel bans, restrictions, and country lockdowns across the world. It continues to maintain vital international air cargo links for economies and communities, deploying its fleet of 777 freighters for the transport of essential goods including medical supplies across the world.

With many of its airline customers dramatically reducing flights or ceasing services altogether, dnata has also significantly reduced its operations, including temporarily shutting some offices across its international network.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Group said: “The world has literally gone into quarantine due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This is an unprecedented crisis situation in terms of breadth and scale: geographically, as well as from a health, social, and economic standpoint. Until January 2020, the Emirates Group was doing well against our current financial year targets. But COVID-19 has brought all that to a sudden and painful halt over the past 6 weeks.

“As a global network airline, we find ourselves in a situation where we cannot viably operate passenger services until countries re-open their borders, and travel confidence returns. By Wednesday March 25, although we will still operate cargo flights which remain busy, Emirates will have temporarily suspended most of its passenger operations. We continue to watch the situation closely, and as soon as things allow, we will reinstate our services.”

Having received requests from governments and customers to support the repatriation of travellers, Emirates will continue to operate passenger and cargo flights to the following countries and territories until further notice, as long as borders remain open, and there is demand: the UK, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, South Africa, USA, and Canada. The situation remains dynamic, and travellers can check flight status on emirates.com.

Sheikh Ahmed added: “Emirates Group has a strong balance sheet, and substantial cash liquidity, and we can, and will, with appropriate and timely action, survive through a prolonged period of reduced flight schedules, so that we are adequately prepared for the return to normality.”

Cost reduction measures

The Emirates Group has undertaken a series of measures to contain costs, as the outlook for travel demand remains weak across markets in the short to medium term. This includes:

Postponing or cancelling discretionary expenditure
A freeze on all non-essential recruitment and consultancy work
Working with suppliers to find cost savings and efficiency
Encouraging employees to take paid or unpaid leave in light of reduced flying capacity
A temporary reduction of basic salary for the majority of Emirates Group employees for three months, ranging from 25% to 50%. Employees will continue to be paid their other allowances during this time. Junior level employees will be exempt from basic salary reduction
Presidents of Emirates and dnata – Sir Tim Clark and Gary Chapman – will take a 100% basic salary cut for three months

On the decision to reduce basic salary, Sheikh Ahmed said: “Rather than ask employees to leave the business, we chose to implement a temporary basic salary cut as we want to protect our workforce and keep our talented and skilled people, as much as possible. We want to avoid cutting jobs. When demand picks up again, we also want to be able to quickly ramp up and resume services for our customers.”

The Emirates Group has strong liquidity, with a healthy cash position but it is prudent that it take steps to reduce costs at this time. Emirates remains committed to serving its markets and looks forward to resuming a normal flight schedule as soon as that is permitted by the relevant authorities.

Safeguarding customers, employees, and communities

Emirates Group closely monitors the situation and keeps in regular contact with all relevant authorities, so that it can implement the latest guidance to keep travellers and its employees safe and healthy.

The company has strongly discouraged its employees from non-essential travel, implemented work from home policies for all employees where operationally feasible, enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols at its facilities, introduced temperature screening at its key office entry points, and launched internal educational campaigns on hand hygiene and health practices to reduce risk of COVID-19.

Over the past weeks, the airline has also implemented enhanced cleaning and disinfecting measures on all of its aircraft departing Dubai as a precaution, and worked closely with airports to implement screening measures as required by the local authorities.

Frontline employees such as crew and airport teams have also been provided with support to stay safe while on duty, including providing hand sanitizers and masks where required.

The Emirates Group fully supports all initiatives to safeguard the health of communities in every market where it operates, including the UAE’s national COVID-19 response.

Sheikh Ahmed said: “These are unprecedented times for the airline and travel industry, but we will get through it. Our business is taking a hit, but what matters in the long run is that we do the right thing for our customers, our employees, and the communities we serve. With the support and unity that we have seen from our employees, partners, customers, and other stakeholders, I’m confident that Emirates can tackle this challenge and come out stronger.”

Emirates aircraft photo gallery:

Emirates Group announces half-year performance for 2019-20, with AED 1.2 billion profit, 7.9% increase in passengers carried to Dubai

Emirates Group has issued this statement:

The Emirates Group has announced its half-year results for its 2019-20 financial year.

Group revenue was AED 53.3 billion (US$ 14.5 billion) for the first six months of 2019-20, down 2% from AED 54.4 billion (US$ 14.8 billion) during the same period last year. This slight revenue decline was mainly due to planned capacity reductions during the 45-day Southern Runway closure at Dubai International airport (DXB), and unfavourable currency movements in Europe, Australia, South Africa, India, and Pakistan.

Profitability was up 8% compared to the same period last year, with the Group reporting a 2019-20 half-year net profit of AED 1.2 billion (US$ 320 million). The profit improvement was primarily due to the decline in fuel prices of 9% compared to the same period last year, however the gain from lower fuel costs were partially offset by negative currency movements.

The Group’s cash position on 30th September 2019 stood at AED 23.0 billion (US$ 6.3 billion), compared to AED 22.2 billion (US$ 6.0 billion) as at 31^st March 2019.

Group: Revenue down 2% to AED 53.3 billion (US$ 14.5 billion), and profit of AED 1.2 billion (US$ 320 million), up 8%. Results impacted by Dubai International Airport (DXB) runway closure, decline in fuel cost, unfavourable currency movements, and bankruptcy of Thomas Cook.
Emirates: Revenue down 3% to AED 47.3 billion (US$ 12.9 billion), and profit increase of 282% to AED 862 million (US$ 235 million). Improved seat load factor of 81.1%, up 2.3%pts, with 29.6 million passengers carried. Dubai’s strong attraction as a destination sees the airline carrying 7.9% more customers to its hub city compared to same period last year.

“

“The Emirates Group delivered a steady and positive performance in the first half of 2019-20, by adapting our strategies to navigate the tough trading conditions and social-political uncertainty in many markets around the world. Both Emirates and dnata worked hard to minimise the impact of the planned runway renovations at DXB on our business and on our customers. We also kept a tight rein on controllable costs and continued to drive efficiency improvement, while ensuring that our resources were deployed nimbly to capitalise on areas of opportunity.

“The lower fuel cost was a welcome respite as we saw our fuel bill drop by AED 2.0 billion compared to the same period last year. However, unfavourable currency movements wiped off approximately AED 1.2 billion from our profits.

“The global outlook is difficult to predict, but we expect the airline and travel industry to continue facing headwinds over the next six months with stiff competition adding downward pressure on margins. As a Group we remain focussed on developing our business, and we will continue to invest in new capabilities that empower our people, and enable us to offer even better products, services, and experiences for our customers.”

His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group

The Emirates Group’s employee base remained unchanged compared to 31 March 2019, at an overall average staff count of 105,315. This is in line with the company’s planned capacity and business activities, and also reflects the various internal programmes to improve efficiency through the implementation of new technology and workflows.

Emirates airline

During the first six months of 2019-20, Emirates received 3 Airbus A380s, with 3 more new aircraft scheduled to be delivered before the end of the 2019-20 financial year. It also retired 6 older aircraft from its fleet with a further 2 to be returned by 31 March 2020. The airline’s long-standing strategy to invest in the most advanced wide-body aircraft enables it to improve overall efficiency, minimise its emissions footprint, and provide high quality customer experiences.

Emirates continues to offer ever better connections for its customers across the globe with just one stop in Dubai. In the first six months of its financial year, Emirates added two new passenger routes: Dubai-Bangkok-Phnom Penh, and Dubai-Porto (Portugal). As of 30 September, Emirates’ global network spanned 158 destinations in 84 countries. Its fleet stood at 267 aircraft including freighters.

Emirates also further developed its partnership with flydubai. Both airlines continued to leverage their complementary networks to optimise flight schedules and offer new city-pair connections through Dubai, as well as open new routes including Naples (Italy) and Tashkent (Uzbekistan) in the first half of 2019-20. Customers also enjoy even more benefits with a single loyalty programme under Emirates Skywards, and passengers connecting between Emirates and flydubai can experience seamless transits with 22 flydubai flights now operating from Emirates Terminal 3 at DXB.

Overall capacity during the first six months of the year declined by 7% to 29.7 billion Available Tonne Kilometres (ATKM) mainly due to the DXB runway closure and reduction in fleet during this 45-day period. Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), shrunk by 5%, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKM) was down by 2% with average Passenger Seat Factor rising to 81.1%, compared with last year’s 78.8%.

Emirates carried 29.6 million passengers between 1 April and 30 September 2019, down 2% from the same period last year, however, passenger yield increased by 1% period-on-period. The volume of cargo uplifted at 1.2 million tonnes has decreased by 8% while yield declined by 3%. This reflects the tough business environment for air freight in the context of global trade tensions and unrest in some key cargo markets.

In the first half of the 2019-20 financial year, Emirates net profit was AED 862 million (US$ 235 million), up 282%, compared to last year. Emirates revenue, including other operating income, of AED 47.3 billion (US$ 12.9 billion) was down 3% compared with the AED 48.9 billion (US$ 13.3 billion) recorded during the same period last year. This result was driven by increased agility in capacity deployment, with healthy customer demand for Emirates’ products driving improved seat load factors and better margins.

Emirates operating costs shrunk by 8% against the overall capacity decrease of 7%. On average, fuel costs were 13% lower compared to the same period last year, this was largely due to a decrease in oil prices (down 9% compared to same period last year), as well as a lower fuel uplift due to reduced capacity during 45-day runway closure at DXB. Fuel remained the largest component of the airline’s cost, accounting for 32% of operating costs compared with 33% in the first six months of last year.

Top Copyright Photo: Emirates Airline Airbus A380-861 A6-EUA (msn 211) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 948121.

Emirates aircraft slide show:

Emirates Group announces half-year performance for 2018-19

Group: Revenue up 10% to AED 54.4 billion (US$14.8 billion), and profit of AED 1.1 billion (US$296 million), down 53%. Results impacted by significant increase in fuel cost, unfavourable currency movements, and one-time transaction in dnata.
Emirates: Revenue up 10% to AED 48.9 billion (US$13.3 billion), and profit decline of 86% to AED 226 million (US$62 million). 30.1 million passengers carried, up 3%, on overall capacity expansion of 3%. Dubai’s attraction as a destination remains strong with the airline carrying 9% more customers to its hub city.
dnata: Revenue up 11% to AED 7.0 billion (US$1.9 billion), profit up 31% to AED 861 million (US$235 million) includes gain of AED 320 million from one-time transaction. Without this transaction, the profit recorded would be down 18% compared to last year. 350,052 aircraft handled, up 6%, 1.5 million tonnes of cargo handled, up 2%.

The Emirates Group has announced its half-year results for 2018-19. The Group saw steady revenue growth compared to the same period last year, however profits were impacted by the significant rise in oil prices, and unfavourable currency movements in certain markets, amidst other challenges for the airline and travel industry.

The Emirates Group revenue was AED 54.4 billion (US$ 14.8 billion) for the first six months of its 2018-19 financial year, up 10% from AED 49.4 billion (US$ 13.5 billion) during the same period last year.

Profitability was down 53% compared to the same period last year, with the Group reporting a 2018-19 half-year net profit of AED 1.1 billion (US$296 million). The profit erosion was primarily due to the significant increase in fuel prices of 37% compared to the same period last year, as well as the negative impact of currencies in certain markets.

The Group’s cash position on September 30, 2018 was at AED 21.5 billion (US$ 5.9 billion), compared to AED 25.4 billion (US$6.9 billion) as at 31st March 2018.

His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “Emirates and dnata grew steadily in the first half of 2018-19. Demand for our high quality products and services remained healthy, as we won new and return customers across our businesses and this is reflected in our revenue performance. However, the high fuel cost as well as currency devaluations in markets like India, Brazil, Angola and Iran, wiped approximately AED 4.6 billion from our profits.

“We are proactively managing the myriad challenges faced by the airline and travel industry, including the relentless downward pressure on yields, and uncertain economic and political realities in our region and in other parts of the world. We are keeping a tight rein on controllable costs and will continue to drive efficiency improvement through the implementation of new technology and business processes.

“The next six months will be tough, but the Emirates Group’s foundations remain strong. I’m pleased to note that our home and hub in Dubai continues to attract travel demand, as the airline saw 9% more customers enjoying Dubai as a destination in the first half of 2018-19 compared to the same period last year. We expect this demand to remain healthy as new attractions come online and the city gears up for Dubai Expo 2020. Moving forward we are firmly focussed on sustaining our business. We will do this by being agile to capitalise on opportunities, and investing to serve our customers even better with high quality products that they value.”

In the past six months, the Group’s employee base reduced by 1% compared to 31 March 2018, from an overall average staff count of 103,363 to 101,983. This was largely a result of natural attrition, together with a slower pace of recruitment as the business continues its various internal programmes to improve efficiency through the implementation of new technology and workflows.

Emirates Airline

During the first six months of 2018-19, Emirates received 8 wide-body aircraft – 3 Airbus A380s, and 5 Boeing 777s, with 5 more new aircraft scheduled to be delivered before the end of the financial year. It also retired 7 older aircraft from its fleet with further 4 to be returned by March 31, 2019. The airline’s long-standing strategy to invest in the most advanced wide-body aircraft enables it to improve overall efficiency and provide better customer experiences.

Emirates continues to offer ever better connections for its customers across the globe with just one stop in Dubai.

In the first six months of its financial year, Emirates launched new passenger services to Stansted (UK) and Santiago (Chile). It also introduced a new linked service from Dubai via Bali to Auckland. As of 30 September, Emirates’ global network spanned 161 destinations in 85 countries. Its fleet stood at 269 aircraft including freighters.

Emirates further developed its partnership with flydubai, offering customers even more benefits as both airlines combined their loyalty programme under Emirates Skywards. Customers also enjoy new flight choices as Emirates and flydubai continued to leverage their complementary networks to optimise flight schedules and offer new city-pair connections through Dubai, as well as open new routes including Kinshasa (Congo), Krakow (Poland), and Catania (Italy) in the first half of 2018-19.

Overall capacity during the first six months of the year increased a modest 3% to 31.8 billion Available Tonne Kilometres (ATKM). Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), grew by 4%, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKM) was up 6% with average Passenger Seat Factor rising to 78.8%, compared with last year’s 77.2%.

Emirates carried 30.1 million passengers between 1 April and 30 September 2018, up 3% from the same period last year. The volume of cargo uplifted at 1.3 million tonnes is largely unchanged while yield improved by a healthy 11% .This performance is the result of Emirates SkyCargo’s focussed investments in products and services tailored to key sectors, which gives it a strong competitive edge in a recovering global air freight market.

In the first half of the 2018-19 financial year, Emirates net profit is AED 226 million (US$62 million), down 86%, compared to last year. Emirates revenue, including other operating income, of AED 48.9 billion (US$ 13.3 billion) was up 10% compared with the AED 44.5 billion (US$ 12.1 billion) recorded during the same period last year. This result was driven by increased agility in capacity deployment, and improved seat load factors despite fare increases reflect the healthy customer demand for Emirates’ products.

Emirates operating costs grew by 13% against the overall capacity increase of 3%. On average, fuel costs were 42% higher compared to the same period last year, this was largely due to an increase in oil prices (up 37% compared to same period last year), as well as an increase in fuel uplift of 4% due to Emirates’ expanding fleet operations. Fuel remained the largest component of the airline’s cost, accounting for 33% of operating costs compared with 26% in the first six months of last year.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Emirates): Emirates Airline Airbus A380-861 A6-EDD (msn 020) JFK (Fred Freketic). Image: 944350.

Emirates aircraft slide show:

Emirates to hire 11,000 new employees in 2015

Emirates Group, comprising Emirates Airline (Dubai) and dnata, plans to hire over 11,000 new staff in the coming year across its business, in line with its projected growth across six continents.

This would increase its staff size by six percent by March 2016. Approximately half of the new recruits will comprise Dubai-based cabin crew for Emirates Airline. As the airline gears up to receive over 20 new aircraft this year, it is also actively recruiting talent in areas such as Flight Operations, Engineering, Airport Services and Corporate functions.

In 2014, Emirates received nearly 483,944 online applications for over 2,000 jobs, from over 227 countries. It also receives an average of 1,500 career-related enquiries each month on its social media channels.

Emirates aircraft slide show:

Emirates’ first half net profit rises 1% to $607 million, overhauls its first Airbus A380

Emirates Group (Dubai) has announced its first half results for 2014:

The Emirates Group has announced its half-yearly results which show steady performance and growth, despite a challenging business environment marked by ongoing health pandemic concerns, regional conflicts, and weakening global markets.

The Emirates Group revenues reached AED 47.5 billion (US$12.9 billion) for the first six months of its 2014-15 fiscal year, up 12% from AED 42.3 billion (US$11.5 billion) from the same period last year.

Net profit for the Group rose to AED 2.2 billion (US$607 million) an increase of 1% over the last year’s results.

The Group’s cash position on September 30, 2014 was at AED 16.1 billion (US$4.4 billion), compared to AED 19.0 billion (US$5.2 billion) as at March 31, 2014. This is due to ongoing investments mainly into new aircraft and other airline related infrastructure projects.

“As the biggest operator at Dubai International, we also took the biggest hit to our bottom line from the 80-day runway upgrading works. However, we had anticipated it and made meticulous plans to minimise impact operationally and commercially for both Emirates and dnata. The success of these plans can be seen in our overall growth during this six-month period in spite of the challenge,” said His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group.

He added: “It is those external threats that we cannot anticipate or directly manage, such as the global economic malaise, the Ebola outbreak, currency fluctuations, and regional conflicts, that could negate our efforts and plans. These issues appear to be piling up, impacting commercial aviation and travel, but show no signs of speedy resolution. Therefore it is critical that we stay agile as we grow. The ability to adapt and act quickly will determine our continued success.

Moving forward, we will keep a watchful eye on these challenges, but continue to focus on our long-term goals and invest in the infrastructure of both Emirates and dnata.”

In the past six months, the Group continued to develop and expand its employee base, increasing its overall staff count by 5% to over 79,000 compared with March 31, 2014.

During the first six months of the fiscal year Emirates received 13 wide-body aircraft – 6 Airbus A380s, 7 Boeing 777s, with 11 more new aircraft scheduled to be delivered before the end of the financial year (March 31, 2015).

Emirates also expanded its global route network by launching services to four new destinations – Abuja, Chicago, Oslo, and Brussels, exponentially increasing the number of city-pair flight options that it provides to customers across the globe with each new city served.

Operating the world’s largest fleet of A380s and the largest fleet of Boeing 777s, Emirates continues to provide ever better connections for its customers across the globe with just one stop in Dubai. Emirates flies to 146 destinations in 83 countries as of 30 September, up from 137 cities in 77 countries last year.

Against the backdrop of unprecedented external challenges which led the airline to suspend the highest number of routes in a year and temporarily ground part of its fleet due to the runway closure, and despite a strong performance of the US dollar against other major currencies impacting revenues, Emirates continues to make a profit. In the first half of the 2014-15 fiscal year, Emirates net profit is AED 1.9 billion (US$514 million), up 8% from the same period last year.

On average, fuel prices only softened marginally and towards the end of the six-month period. Fuel remained a large component of the airline’s cost, accounting for 38% of operating costs compared with 39% during the first six-month period last year.

In the first half of its financial year 2014-15, Emirates reported continued business growth, both in terms of capacity on offer and traffic carried. Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), grew by 6.5%, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPKM) was up 9.8% with Passenger Seat Factor increasing and averaging at 81.5%, compared with last year’s 79.2%.

Emirates carried 23.3 million passengers between 1 April and 30 September 2014, up 8.4% from the same period last year. The volume of cargo uplifted was up by 5.4%, a remarkable growth and performance against the market trend.

Emirates revenue, including other operating income, of AED 44.2 billion (US$ 12.0 billion) was higher by 11% compared with AED 39.8 billion (US$10.8 billion) recorded last year, reflecting strong passenger and cargo demand.

In other news Emirates Engineering marked another milestone when the team performed its first 3C-Check on an Airbus A380 (above), a major overhaul that restores the airline’s first A380 aircraft to near pristine condition.

In a round-the-clock operation taking 55 days, two teams of highly specialised engineers stripped the entire interior of the double-decked aircraft to the bare metal hull, inspected and overhauled every single part, and then put the plane components back together again (see video below).

The check was completed with a rigorous test flight before being put back into regular service, in this case, carrying passengers to Brisbane and Auckland.

“The aircraft has been fully overhauled during its 3C-Check. We return it in a pristine condition, just as it originally left the factory,”

Colin Disspain. “It’s like having a brand- new A380 again.”

Emirates was the first airline to place an order for the iconic A380, and is today the world’s largest operator of this efficient and spacious twin-deck aircraft.

The airline’s first A380 (registration A6-EDA – Echo Delta Alpha) (top above) was delivered in June 2008, and deployed on the airline’s inaugural A380 flight from Dubai to New York.

Flight hours, landings and aircraft age determine the due date for a 3C-Check. In this case Echo Delta Alpha had flown an impressive 20 million km, the equivalent of almost 27 return trips to the moon. It has completed over 3,000 take-offs and landings, carrying over 1.2 million passengers safely across the globe.

Months of meticulous planning led up to the C-Check on Echo Delta Alpha. Even though the experienced team of engineers have performed hundreds of C-Checks on the various aircraft of the Emirates fleet, this check was out of the ordinary simply because of the tremendous size of the A380. Operated until a few hours before the check, Echo Delta Alpha was towed into one of the Emirates Engineering hangars at Dubai Airport. Purpose-built for the A380, each hangar is as large as two football fields.

In the first 12 days of the check, over 1,600 parts were removed from the cabin interior including 475 Economy and Business Class seats, 14 First Class private suites, 16 galleys, 2 bars, 2 showers, floor panels and even parts of the cockpit. Every part was inspected and – where required – replaced.

A major part of the operation was the removal of two of the aircraft’s pylons which connect the engine with the aircraft’s wing. Each pylon holds a massive engine which weighs an impressive 6.7 tonnes.
The last two weeks were dedicated to putting all parts back in place with all teams on a tight schedule.

Echo Delta Alpha is one of Emirates’ fleet of 232 aircraft, including 55 A380s. Operating the biggest A380 route network of any commercial airline worldwide, Emirates currently serves 31 airports on 5 continents. To date, the airline’s fleet of A380 aircraft has carried 27.5 million revenue passengers, made over 68,800 trips and covered more than 405 million kilometres.
Its Dubai-Los Angeles route is the world’s longest commercial A380 flight in operation, and its Dubai-Kuwait route is the world’s shortest. By the end of this year, the number of destinations served by an Emirates A380 will increase to 33, with the addition of San Francisco from December 1 and Houston from December 3.

Video below: Emirates overhauls its first Airbus A380:

Finally Emirates will restart passenger flights to Erbil in northern Iraq from November 16, 2014.

Emirates will resume with two weekly flights to Erbil, served by an Airbus A330-200 aircraft in a 3-class configuration. This will increase to four weekly flights from December 4, 2014.

Top Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss/AirlinersGallery.com. The first Emirates Airbus A380, the pictured A380-861 (msn 011) was delivered on July 28, 2008.

Emirates aircraft slide show:

An inside look at Emirates state-of-the-art aircraft paint shop at Dubai

Emirates (Dubai) has provided this unique inside look at how it operates the world largest state-of-the-art aircraft paint shop:

Emirates, a global connector of people and places, operates the world’s largest fleets of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, and to serve these aircraft, it runs the world’s largest state-of-the-art aircraft paint hangar owned by an airline.

Located at Dubai International Airport, Emirates’ paint hangar is more than twice the size of a football field, and has been designed to deliver quality that exceeds even the standards of aircraft manufacturers.

A Boeing 777 is stripped of its exterior paint in the Emirates paint hangar.

In 2013, Emirates’ advanced paint hangar completely stripped 21 aircraft (or nearly 10% of its fleet) of exterior paint and gave them a brand new coat. It took 6,550 hours in total, or 273 days and nights of non-stop stripping and repainting, to complete these “make-overs”. In addition to these major projects, the paint shop was kept fully engaged with over 60,000 other paint touch-up jobs on the exteriors and interiors of the aircraft, as well as cabin items.

“Our aircraft livery is one of the most recognisable and visible aspects of our brand. It is what people see in the sky, and the first thing our passengers see at their boarding gates. We take pride in maintaining our aircraft to the highest possible standards, and it is important our planes look pristine on the outside as well as on the inside,” said Adel Al Redha, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Emirates.

“It’s not just about looking good. The paint coat has to withstand fierce weather conditions, including severe wind, bitter cold and searing heat, and an exterior coat that is clean of debris and imperfections improves aerodynamics and reduces fuel consumption. Emirates already flies a young and efficient fleet, but with fuel prices at consistently high levels, every little bit of efficiency counts,” he added.

Emirates previously had a minor paint booth in its Dubai hub to manage minor jobs while outsourcing the big projects to an external supplier. Building its own paint hangar has helped the airline to better control total quality, and co-ordinate flight operations scheduling. Since the paint hangar started operations in August 2010, it has completed 59 full aircraft “strip-and-repaint” projects and several hundred thousand aircraft component paintings.

After every seven to eight years in service, Emirates fully strips its aircraft of their exterior colour and gives them a brand-new coat. A Boeing 777 requires a team of 26 to 30 people for a full strip-and-repaint project, which is turned around in just 12 to 13 days.

Emirates’ paint hangar operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It employs highly skilled and specialised staff for this purpose, and uses the latest technologies and systems including fully-controlled environments that regulate temperature, humidity and airflow – all of which are critical factors for the perfect glossy coat.

Since the airline’s launch in 1985, all Emirates aircraft wear their white coat with the iconic golden Emirates letters and tail fin in the colours of the flag of the United Arab Emirates.

The branding underwent a subtle change only once in 2000. The flag was redesigned to appear as though it was flowing in the wind and the letters assumed the new Emirates typeface making them softer and more in-keeping with the Arabic calligraphy. The new look had a buoyant tone making it more contemporary, yet retained the classic look which had become well-known since 1985.

Emirates’ first A380, which entered service in August 2008, will be due for a full repaint in 2015. Emirates operates the largest fleet of A380 with 44 in total and an additional 96 on order. It also operates the world’s largest fleet of Boeing 777s with 132 in service and 210 more on order.

Emirates:

Video:

Emirates reviews 2013, the fast-growing airline circled the globe over 18,000 times in 2013

Emirates’ (Dubai) has reviewed its performance and accomplishments in 2013. The airline issued this statement:

Emirates aircraft flew around the world more than 18,000 times in 2013, underlining its position as a global connector of people and places according to the carrier.

Figures show the airline’s fleet travelled more than 751 million kilometers throughout the year. Taking the earth’s circumference at the equator as 40,075 kilometers, this translates into the equivalent of 18,753 circumnavigations.

A total of 164,635 flights were conducted, carrying over 43 million passengers.

Emirates Flight Catering loaded nearly 46 million meals aboard Emirates’ flights departing Dubai. A particularly memorable day for the catering team was 20th December 2013 when a staggering 157,308 meals were produced, breaking their previous record of 147,722 on 1st March 2013.

Throughout the year, the airline has received 24 new aircraft – a combination of Airbus A380s, Boeing 777s and 777 freighters. Nine new passenger routes were launched; Warsaw, Algiers, Tokyo Haneda, Stockholm, Clark, Milan-New York, Conakry, Sialkot and Kabul. Hanoi, Chicago, Kano in Nigeria and Quito in Ecuador have been launched as cargo only destinations.

The first major milestone of 2013 was January’s opening of Concourse A, the world’s first purpose built A380 concourse. The giant building with 20 A380 gates is over 800m long and houses the largest airline lounges in the world.

April saw the landmark commercial deal with QANTAS Airways come to life. The new partnership brings the total combined number of weekly flights from Dubai to Australia to 98.

In May, The Emirates Group, which includes DNATA, announced its 25th consecutive year of profit, despite the continuing tough international business environment. For the 2012/13 financial year, the group posted a AED 3.1 billion ($845 million US) net profit, up 34 per cent from the previous financial year.

August brought the fifth anniversary of Emirates’ A380 operations. At the five year mark, its A380 fleet had carried more than 18 million passengers on over 45,000 flights. Earlier this month, the double decker, offering more than 400 hours of Hollywood movies, was deployed to Los Angeles, creating the world’s longest A380 service in operation at 16 hours and 20 minutes.

In September, Emirates’ fans were given an unprecedented look behind the scenes of its home base at Dubai International. The ten part series, “Ultimate Airport Dubai,” charts the incredible story of Dubai’s aviation sector on National Geographic Channel. The documentary can also be viewed on Emirates’ ice Digital Widescreen.

Emirates has won a host of awards during 2013 – most notably the Skytrax “World’s Best Airline” award. Close to 18,000 cabin crew from 137 nationalities help to deliver the world renowned on board service.

Emirates:

Emirates Group announces its 25th consecutive profitable year

The Emirates Group (Emirates Airline) (Dubai) has announced it 25^th consecutive year of profit and company-wide growth ending the year in a strong position despite continuing high fuel prices and a weak global economic environment. The financial year also ended with some very positive newly reached capacity milestones throughout the business.

The company posted an AED 3.1 billion ($845 million) net profit, up 34 per cent from last year. Even with external challenges, the Group’s revenue reached AED 77.5 billion ($21.1 billion) an increase of 17 per cent over last year’s results. The Group’s cash balance grew by 53 per cent reaching a solid AED 27.0 billion ($7.3 billion).

“Achieving our 25^th consecutive year of profit in a financial year with our largest ever increase in capacity across the network is an achievement that speaks to the strength of our brands and our leadership,” said His Highness (H.H) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group.

“Throughout the 2012-13 financial year the Group has collectively invested over AED 13.8 billion (US$ 3.8 billion) in new aircraft, products, services and handling facilities as well as the newly opened JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in Dubai. This investment has resulted in an increased customer base and a rise in global brand awareness. Every dirham that we earn is strategically placed back into our business and it is this tenacious approach that has allowed the Group to maintain such strong and consistent profitability under challenging circumstances.”

Despite a difficult operating environment, the Group continued to invest in and expand on its employee base, increasing its overall staff count by 12 per cent to 68,000.

Emirates continued with its growth plan and during the financial year saw the largest increase in capacity in the airline’s history receiving a staggering 34 new aircraft, the highest in any single year and an unprecedented achievement. These aircraft were funded by raising more than $7.8 billion, also a first, through a variety of financing structures. Overall capacity measured in Available Tonne Kilometres (ATKMs) increased by 5.5 billion ton-kilometers. Other significant capacity increases include launching 10 new destinations across six continents, shipping more than 2 million tonnes of cargo for the first time and carrying an additional 5.4 million passengers over last year, the highest increase in a financial year.

In the 2012-13 financial year Emirates’ fuel bill increased by 15 per cent over last year to reach AED 27.9 billion ($7.6 billion). With total operating costs increasing by 16 per cent compared to a revenue increase of 17 per cent over last year.

“Managing volatile exchange rates, coupled with a persistently high fuel bill accounting for 40 per cent of our total expenditures, has required continued strong resolve,” added Sheikh Ahmed. “Even with these lingering challenges we continue to grow and remain profitable despite the industry norms because we continue to rely on our proven business model and understanding of the marketplace.”

“Staying the course, our strategy for growth has reaped high benefits this past financial year, which has been our strongest ever in relationship to capacity growth,” said Sheikh Ahmed. “Emirates seat load factor over the last three years has been 80 per cent despite our increase in capacity by 44 per cent during the same period, showing the continued global demand for our product. In addition our capacity measured in terms of Available Tonne Kilometres (ATKMs), which includes passenger and cargo capacity, crossed the 40 billion tonne-kilometres mark, another first for Emirates.”

Highlighting its sound financials and investor confidence, Emirates raised more than AED 28.6 billion (US$ 7.8 billion) in new funding mainly to secure its on-going fleet expansion, a record amount for the airline. This impressive total included US$ 587.5 million financing for additional A380’s with a bond that used the debt capital market in the U.S., a first for a non-U.S. airline in years. Emirates also issued a 10-year amortised Sukuk for US$ 1 billion and raised US$ 750 million with a 12-year amortised bond matched to the payment cycle for the aircraft. It further includes more than AED 20 billion (US$5.4 billion) raised through finance and operating leases.

“We move into the new financial year with confidence and a clear vision of where we are headed. We understand that succeeding in this industry requires determination and we are unapologetic about our drive to be the best,” added Sheikh Ahmed. “We strive to provide superior customer experiences and as our customers’ expectations increase so do the expectations we set for ourselves. With the help of our 68,000 strong multicultural work force we have no doubt that the year ahead will again be more profitable than the last.”

Emirates revenue reached a record high of AED 73.1 billion ($19.9 billion) growing by 17 per cent when compared to the 2011-12 financial year. Although the average price of jet fuel did not increase over last year, it remains high and has impacted Emirates’ bottom line with the airline’s profit at AED 2.3 billion (US$ 622 million) representing an increase of 52 per cent over last year’s results.

Carrying a record 39.4 million passengers, an increase of 16 per cent, Emirates logged a robust Passenger Seat Factor, at 80 per cent, remaining consistent with last year’s results. With an increase in seat capacity-Available Seat Kilometres (ASKMs) of 18 per cent the result highlights a strong consumer desire to fly on Emirates’ state-of-the-art aircraft.

Passenger yield remained steady with 30.5 fils (8.3 US cents) per Revenue Passenger Kilometre (RPKM)

Revenue generated from across Emirates’ six regions continues to be well balanced, with no region contributing more than 30 per cent of overall revenues. East Asia and Australasia remained the highest revenue contributing region with AED 20.9 billion (US$ 5.7 billion) up 15 per cent from 2011-12. Europe, up 18 per cent to AED 20.1billion (US$ 5.5 billion) and the Americas up 24 per cent to AED 8.3 billion (US$ 2.3 billion) saw the most significant growth, reflecting new destinations as well as increased frequency and capacity to these regions.

Across the rest of the globe Emirates saw strong revenue increases from West Asia and the Indian Ocean up 13 per cent to AED 8.0 billion (US$ 2.2 billion), Gulf/Middle East up 13 per cent to AED 7.1 billion (US$ 1.9 billion) and Africa with AED 6.7 billion (US$1.8 billion) in revenue, up 10 per cent.

Emirates premium seat factor remained strong despite the global financial uncertainty. Premium and overall seat factor for the airline’s flagship Airbus A380 aircraft outperformed the network, highlighting the continued demand for the product from passengers.

With a further 198 aircraft on order worth over $71 billion, combined with the airline’s increasing worldwide passenger traffic, Emirates’ is set to continue to drive considerable economic growth in the countries that it serves.

Forging ahead with its intricately planned expansion, Emirates received 34 new wide-body aircraft during the year including 20 Boeing 777-300 ERs, 10 Airbus A380s and 4 Boeing 777 LRFs compared with last year’s 22 aircraft. With an increased fleet, Emirates launched 10 new destinations in 2012-13 including Ho Chi Minh City, Barcelona, Lisbon, Erbil, Washington, DC, Adelaide, Lyon, Phuket, Warsaw and Algiers.

Looking forward to 2013-14, Emirates has to date announced four new routes; Haneda, Clark in the Philippines, Stockholm and Milan to New York.

New A380 destinations for the airline in 2012-13 included; Amsterdam, Melbourne, Singapore and Moscow. Bringing the total number of A380 destinations to 21. In addition, a second A380 was deployed on the existing Paris and New York routes, making both now a double daily A380 service. Two of our aircraft to London Heathrow were also upgraded to A380s, making all five daily flights now A380s.

Focusing on our customer touch points, Emirates opened three new dedicated airport lounges during the year including Milan and the new First Class and Business Class Concourse A facilities at Dubai Airport, which are among the largest in the world, bringing the total number of Emirates lounges to 35. The existing Business Class lounge in Dubai Airport’s Concourse C was also refurbished to provide passengers with an enhanced experience.

Defying the industry trend, the 2012-13 financial year has been a strong one for Emirates SkyCargo who for the first time reported a revenue over AED 10 billion reaching AED 10.3 billion ($2.8 billion) mark, an 8 per cent increase over last year.

Emirates SkyCargo’s tonnage increased 16 per cent reaching a remarkable 2.1 million tonnes in a shrinking airfreight market, highlighting its ability to grow revenues against the industry norm. This year, freight yield per Freight Tonne Kilometer (FTKM) decreased by 6 per cent.

Contributing 15 per cent of Emirates’ total transport revenue Emirate SkyCargo continues to play an integral role in the company’s expanding operations.

At the end of the financial year, Emirates SkyCargo freighter fleet totalled 10 aircraft – eight on operating lease and two on wet lease.

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton. Airbus A380-861 A6-EDZ (msn 107) with the special Expo 2020 Dubai UAE markings arrives at the Dubai hub.

Emirates: