Copyright Photo: Air Prishtina (airprishtina.com) (JetClub) Airbus A320-211 HB-IJZ (msn 211) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 955681.
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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 31st 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.
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“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.
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 now has 10 aircraft in the “Year of Zayed 2018” special livery
Emirates has announced on social media it has reached the 10 aircraft mark with the “Year of Zayed” special livery:
The airline issued this statement:
Emirates has completed the application of the specially-designed ‘Year of Zayed’ livery on ten of its aircraft. This tribute to the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was first unveiled in November 2017 on the fuselage of Emirates’ 100th A380 aircraft, and commemorates the 100th year of HH Sheikh Zayed’s birth.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, said: “His Highness Sheikh Zayed was a legendary leader, a true pioneer, and an inspirational figure. His legacy for sustainable development lives on in the spirit of the UAE. Emirates is proud to spread his universal message to global audiences in airports and cities around the globe.”
Five Airbus A380s and five Boeing 777-300ERs with the ‘Year of Zayed’ livery have circled the globe on over 1,500 flights to date, and will continue to carry its message of inspiration from the UAE’s late founding father throughout 2018.
The “Year of Zayed” is a year-long tribute to HH Sheikh Zayed’s remarkable legacy and values which have shaped the formation of the UAE. Through the pillars of wisdom, respect, sustainability and human development, the inspirational leader has created a lasting vision of prosperity, determination and tolerance – attributes that remain strongly embedded in UAE culture.
Each bespoke decal covers an area of 480m² on the A380 and 312m² on the Boeing 777-300ER. Since November 2017, the ten aircraft have travelled to 90 destinations across six continents including Rome, Sydney, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires and Accra. The aircraft have collectively flown more than 4 million kilometres. Dedicated Emirates staff at the Emirates Engineering Aircraft Appearance Centre spent a total of 119 days to install the decals.
Top Copyright Photo: Emirates Airline Airbus A380-861 A6-EUA (msn 211) (Year of Zayed 2018) ZRH (Andi Hiltl). Image: 940555.
Emirates aircraft slide show:
Video:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqBy9b7ck1Y&w=560&h=315%5D
Emirates and Arsenal renew sponsorship deal, will bring the A380 to Beirut
Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, and Arsenal Football Club, have announced a new sponsorship deal. The sponsorship, the largest ever signed by the club and one of the biggest ever agreed in football, grants the airline a 5-year extension to their shirt partnership with the Club until the end of the 2023-2024 season.
The new sponsorship agreement, strengthens one of the most recognizable and respected partnerships in sport. The agreement was formally finalised today by Arsenal Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis and Emirates President, Sir Tim Clark.
Mr Gazidis said: “Our shirt partnership is the longest running in the Premier League and one of the longest relationships in world sport. This mutual commitment is testimony to the strength and depth of our unique relationship. Emirates are again demonstrating their great belief in our approach and ambition and their significantly increased investment will help us continue to compete for trophies and bring more success to the club and our fans around the world.”
In addition to being shirt sponsors, with the Emirates brand continuing to appear on Arsenal’s playing and training kits, Emirates will provide access to their award winning planes for Arsenal to use on pre-season tours. Emirates will retain marketing rights to develop campaigns and initiatives around the world. Arsenal’s home will continue to be known as Emirates Stadium up to 2028, as part of the extension agreed in 2012.
Emirates’ shirt partnership began in the 2006/2007 season, and this extension means that Emirates branding will remain on the shirt of all Arsenal teams for at least 18 years.
Aside from partnerships with some of the biggest clubs in European football, Emirates is the Official Airline of international sporting events across golf, tennis, rugby, cricket, horse racing and motorsports.
Video:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wutOcEeuG4&w=560&h=315%5D
In other news, for the first time in Rafic Al Hariri International Airport’s history, Emirates will operate a special one-off Airbus A380 service to Beirut on March 29. The airline’s flagship double-decker will become the first-ever scheduled A380 service to Beirut, and Emirates is working with the airport to test the operations and necessary infrastructure to accommodate an A380 service.
The Emirates A380 service will operate as EK 957 and EK 958, departing Dubai at 0725hrs and arriving in Beirut at 1030hrs. The flight will depart Beirut at 1415hrs arriving in Dubai at 1905hrs on the same day.
Since 1991, when the first service to Beirut was inaugurated, close to 5 million passengers have flown on Emirates. The airline started operating between Dubai and Beirut with a three times weekly service utilising a Boeing 727. Since then, Emirates has developed its services based on growing passenger demand and currently offers three daily flights to Beirut utilising a mix of Boeing 777 aircraft, connecting travellers to destinations across the Far East, Southeast Asia and Africa via its Dubai hub.
Since 2015, Emirates has also transported over 54,000 tons of cargo to and from the country, supporting businesses and exporters. Main commodities exported from Lebanon bound for the UAE and beyond to the Emirates network include fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.
The Emirates A380 flying to Beirut will be set in a three-class configuration, with 429 seats in Economy Class on the lower deck, 76 flat-bed seats in Business Class and 14 First Class Private Suites on the upper deck. Once the A380 reaches cruising altitude, passengers in the First Class cabin can enjoy one of two on-board Shower Spas before joining fellow premium class travellers in the On Board Lounge where they can socialise, network and enjoy complimentary beverages, canapés and other special delicacies at 40,000 feet.
Emirates currently has 101 A380s in service and 61 pending delivery, more than any airline globally. The airline also recently announced a US$ 16 billion (AED 58.7 billion) deal for 36 additional Airbus A380 aircraft. Emirates currently operates the A380 to 48 global destinations.
Finally, Emirates announced it will resume a second daily service to Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, from June 1, 2018.
The flight will be operated by an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER in a three class cabin configuration, with eight private suites in First Class, 42 seats in Business Class, and 310 spacious seats in Economy Class.
The second flight, EK193, will depart Dubai at 1425 hrs and arrive in Lisbon at 1940 hrs, while the return flight EK194, will leave Lisbon at 2115 hrs and land in Dubai at 0805 the next morning. Emirates’current flight, EK191, departs Dubai at 0725hrs and arrives in Lisbon at 1235 pm. The return flight EK192, departs Lisbon at 1415 pm and arrives back in Dubai 0110 pm.
Top Copyright Photo: Emirates Airline Airbus A380-861 A6-EUA (msn 211) (Arsenal Football Club) MUC (Arnd Wolf). Image: 936881.
Emirates aircraft slide show:
Emirates keeps the Airbus A380 alive, signs MOU for 20 + 16 A380s
Emirates Airline has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to acquire up to 36 additional Airbus A380 aircraft. The agreement was signed at the airline’s headquarters in Dubai by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, and John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft. The commitment is for 20 A380s and an option for 16 more with deliveries to start in 2020, valued at US$16 billion at latest list prices.
Sheikh Ahmed said: “We’ve made no secret of the fact that the A380 has been a success for Emirates. Our customers love it, and we’ve been able to deploy it on different missions across our network, giving us flexibility in terms of range and passenger mix. He added: “Some of the new A380s we’ve just ordered will be used as fleet replacements. This order will provide stability to the A380 production line. We will continue to work closely with Airbus to further enhance the aircraft and onboard product, so as to offer our passengers the best possible experience. The beauty of this aircraft is that the technology and real estate on board gives us plenty of room to do something different with the interiors.”
Following delivery of its first A380 in July 2008, Emirates took its 100th A380 on November 3, 2017 in Hamburg.
To date, 222 A380s have been delivered to 13 Airlines.
Copyright Photo: Emirates Airline Airbus A380-861 A6-EUA (msn 211) (Year of Zayed 2018) ZRH (Andi Hiltl). Image: 940555.
Emirates aircraft slide show:
Emirates reviews its performance and accomplishments in 2017
Emirates issued this report for 2017:
Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, is concluding another banner year of growth and innovation, marking significant milestones across its fleet, network, and product innovation initiatives, cementing its position as a market leader and industry trendsetter.
Since January 2017, Emirates has carried over 59 million passengers. The airline served over 63 million meals on its flights departing Dubai*, and moved over 35 million pieces of baggage in Dubai to its network of 156 destinations.
Emirates registered over 3,600 passenger flights on average per week, or over 191,000 flights in 2017, travelling more than 886 million kilometres around the globe, which is equivalent to over 16,000 trips to Mars.
Reflecting on the year, Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “Despite the ups and downs of 2017, Emirates delivered steady growth and we have come out stronger and even more resilient. Throughout the year, we challenged convention and acted nimbly to mitigate challenges and maximise opportunities. We implemented initiatives to boost revenues, trim costs, and used emerging technologies to make our business and operations more agile, without compromising on quality or service. We enter 2018 with optimism, and an unflagging drive to keep raising the bar in terms of customer experience and business performance.”
Fleet Milestones and Investments
Emirates grew its fleet by 21 new aircraft in 2017, with 9 A380 and 12 Boeing 777-300ER deliveries, rounding off the year with 269 aircraft, and 243 aircraft pending delivery. The airline also retired 11 aircraft over the course of the year.
The airline marked 9 years of A380 operations and also celebrated its 100th A380 delivery milestone in November, strengthening Emirates’ position as the world’s largest operator of the iconic double-decker aircraft. The Emirates A380 has carried over 90 million passengers since its introduction in 2008.
Powering its fleet expansion and future growth, Emirates made global headlines at the Dubai Airshow when it placed a US $15.1 billion for 40 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The order will enable the airline to maintain a young and efficient fleet, complementing its Boeing 777 and A380 fleet by providing more flexibility to serve a host of new destinations and help unlock further growth.
To meet the growing demand for highly skilled commercial pilots, 2017 also saw the opening of the Emirates Flight Training Academy, one of the most advanced aviation training facilities in the world providing a complete integration of next-generation flight training. Emirates’ investment in the academy underscores its commitment to support and develop pilots for its own operations as well as for the broader aviation industry.
Boosting Connectivity
Emirates expanded its network to 156 destinations in 2017, with the addition of three new passenger destinations: Newark, USA via Athens; Zagreb, Croatia; and Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
In addition, Emirates boosted frequencies and upgraded capacity to several points across its network, reaffirming the airline’s commitment to offer greater choice and connections for its customers.
Emirates expanded the number of cities served by its flagship A380 in 2017 aircraft to 48, with the launch of five new A380 destinations: Tokyo-Narita, Casablanca and São Paulo, Nice and Johannesburg. Emirates also layered on more A380 services to the schedules of existing points and also led one-off A380 services to four destinations: Boston, Colombo, Warsaw and Bahrain.
In July, Emirates entered into a significant partnership with FlyDubai, which includes an extensive codeshare agreement, strategic schedule alignment, as well as optimising synergies to eventually offer travellers access to over 200 destinations on the combined networks of both airlines. In October, Emirates and Qantas announced the extension of their successful partnership until 2023, with proposed network changes that would deliver greater year-round frequency and more services to Australia and New Zealand.
Emirates SkyCargo also continues to play an integral role in the airline’s expanding operations, and in 2017 carried 2.5 million tonnes of freight. Emirates SkyCargo created new benchmarks in the air cargo industry with its specialised transportation solutions for industry verticals, including pharmaceuticals. With the introduction of Emirates Pharma, the carrier saw a 38% growth in the volume of pharmaceutical cargo its launch. In May, Emirates SkyCargo and Cargolux Airlines entered into a strategic operational partnership, the first of its kind in the air cargo industry, which saw both carriers working closely on a number of operational aspects including enhancing capacity from key markets, optimising networks as well as boosting belly cargo feeder traffic and hub connectivity capabilities. In October, the two carriers extended the partnership with a codeshare agreement.
Trendsetting Customer Initiatives
Emirates pursued its product and service goals in 2017 with an unwavering focus on providing a strong customer-centric proposition.
The year began with Emirates’ operations being challenged by short-notice changes to entry requirements into the US, the cabin electronics ban and updated security measures. Emirates responded by introducing a complimentary tablet and laptop handling service on the ground, and providing a tablet loan service to its premium passengers onboard.
In March, the airline launched its enhanced A380 Onboard Lounge, featuring an airier look and feel; new seating arrangements; private yacht-inspired décor, as well as new high-tech touches including lighting and surround sound.
In November, Emirates unveiled its game-changing, fully enclosed Boeing 777-300ER First Class private suites (above), part of a multi-million dollar upgrade that saw enhancements across all cabin classes. Inspired by the Mercedes Benz S-Class, the suites offer up to 40 square feet of private space, as well as personal lighting and climate control features. World-firsts include a NASA inspired ‘zero-gravity’ seating position, and virtual windows in the middle aisle which project an outside view using real-time camera technology. First Class passengers also have the luxury of easily communicating with cabin crew through the personal video-call function.
Over 10 million passengers connected to Wi-Fi onboard Emirates flights in 2017, reinforcing the importance of connectivity in the air. Emirates’ industry leading inflight entertainment system, ice, closed the year with over 3,000 channels of entertainment, and continued to win accolades with its 13th consecutive World’s Best Inflight Entertainment award at Skytrax World Airline Awards 2017.
In Economy Class, Emirates introduced sustainable blankets made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, making it the largest on board sustainable blanket programme in the airline industry. The soft and warm blankets are made using ecoTHREAD™ patented technology with each blanket made from 28 recycled plastic bottles.
Focusing on seasonal and regional flavors, Emirates unveiled a variety of special menus and dishes for occasions including Ramadan, Easter, Chinese New Year, Oktoberfest, Diwali, and Christmas.
On the ground, Emirates expanded its lounge network with the opening of new facilities at Boston Logan International Airport taking the total number of dedicated Emirates Lounges globally to 41. It also refurbished existing lounges in Singapore and Bangkok. In addition, Emirates opened pay-per-visit access to its lounges at Dubai International Airport for its Skywards members and their guests, regardless of their class of travel. As a result, more than 4 million passengers have been able to experience Emirates’ seven lounges in Dubai in the past year. Emirates also partnered with BMW Group to provide luxury automobiles for its complimentary Chauffeur-drive service for Business Class passengers in the UAE.
Improving the on-ground customer experience further, Emirates and its partners announced the ‘Together’ initiative, a collaboration for a streamlined airport experience with the implementation biometric technology and new automated border control gates, expediting a smoother passenger flow through vital touch-points at Dubai International Airport.
Emirates Skywards, the airline’s popular loyalty program, hit the 19 million member mark mid-2017, with over 40 billion Miles cashed in for upgrades, reward flights, culture and sports events, as well as benefits and privileges across the programme’s network of partners. Over 400,000 upgrades were redeemed by Emirates Skywards members in 2017, brought about by easier access through digital channels. The year has also seen the introduction of a number of new air, travel and lifestyle partners with a seamless online and mobile earn and redemption customer experience, including a first in the use of blockchain technology in the loyalty space.
Making it easier for customers to access their flight information and manage their travel, Emirates launched a completely redesigned mobile app and web experience which included a more simplified booking process, check-in experience, Live Chat options, as well as instant redemption options for Skywards members.
Emirates’ continual efforts to deliver the best possible customer experience were rewarded when it was recognised as the Best Airline in the World in the inaugural TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice® Awards for Airlines.
Building on brand success
Emirates continued to invest in its brand. In August, Emirates extended its title partnership with the prestigious FA Cup through to 2021. That same month, the airline renewed its European Tour Agreement for another four years. The new deal includes Emirates becoming an Official Partner of the 2018 Ryder Cup, an event which brings together 24 of the top golfers from Europe and the USA.
In October, Emirates launched a US$15 million campaign to inspire travel and promote the airline’s extensive network of global destinations including its home, Dubai. The campaign used the classic tune, “Don’t stop me now” by British rock band Queen, and the ads utilized clever filming techniques, shifting between key destinations and Emirates’ onboard experiences, to tell a story of “a picture within a picture”.
In November, the airline rolled out TV celebrity Jeremy Clarkson for its global ad campaign, drawing on Clarkson’s humour and motoring credentials to launch its new fully enclosed First Class suites inspired by Mercedes Benz.
During the Dubai Airshow, Emirates offered spectators a special fly-past that featured its Boeing 777-300ER and A380 performing a flying display with the UAE’s air display team, Al Fursan. Both the Emirates 777-300ER and A380 flying display aircraft were emblazoned with the HH Sheikh Zayed decal as a tribute to the late founding father of the UAE.
*Flight figures are for the calendar year 2017
*Catering figures cover meals loaded at Dubai International only. This does not include meals loaded at other destinations.
*Baggage figures cover Dubai International only
Top Copyright Photo: Emirates Airline Airbus A380-861 A6-EUA (msn 211) (Arsenal Football Club) LGW (Antony J. Best). Image: 938174.
Emirates aircraft slide show:
Video:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pKpMnZTWRo&w=560&h=315%5D