Emirates, one of the two flag-carrying airlines of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), flew over 14 mn passengers from June to August. It maintained an average seat occupancy of over 80 percent.
Additionally, it recorded an impressive turnover exceeding $29 bn during the fiscal year 2022 to 2023, cementing its position as the largest airline in the Middle East. In the said period, it carried approximately 43.6 mn passengers.
Qatar Airways, another prominent Middle Eastern airline, generated revenues worth $21 bn in the same fiscal year. It accommodated over 31.7 mn passengers.
In a recent study conducted by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEA), Emirates and Qatar Airways also emerged as two of the top ten airlines in the world. Also included in the list are Saudia and Turkish Airlines.
Read: Emirates Airlines named best airline in the world
Busy season
Marking one of its busiest summers when it transported over 14 million passengers, Emirates operated nearly 50,000 flights. It connected 140 cities around the world using its fleet of over 260 aircraft.
Over the course of the season, the airline flew to diverse global locations via its central hub at Dubai International Airport (DXB). While most Emirates passengers used DXB as a connecting point, more than two mn chose Dubai as their preferred vacation spot.
According to Emirates executives, families made up over 35 percent of the airline’s customers visiting the Emirati city. On average, they stayed in Dubai for over two weeks. From June to August, the majority of the city’s visitors originated from Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Pakistan, Kuwait, China, Germany, and the UK.
This highly profitable season is primarily a result of an uptick in travel demand as the world opened up following a pandemic that prompted strict travel restrictions.
“Travel demand across our network has been strong and resilient despite rising cost-of-living pressures in many markets. It shows the value that people place on travel – whether for work, play, study, or visiting loved ones; and how essential international air connectivity is to communities,” stated Adnan Kazim, the airline’s chief commercial officer.
Success beyond summer
Emirates plans to keep this momentum beyond the summer season, and it is keen on expanding its operations in the coming months and years.
The airline presently observes strong demand for air travel to Dubai this fall. Additionally, it anticipates a surge in winter air travel as the city hosts year-round events that draw in millions of tourists.
To meet this demand, the airline has already devised plans to introduce more flights to DXB from key locations from December this year to March next year.
Meanwhile, in the following spring, the airline plans to increase flight frequency to various airports while simultaneously introducing new routes. As of writing, there are 200 aircraft on order, which will be pivotal in its operation expansion plans.
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