Emirates Group Archives

July 5, 2023

The Emirates Group is laying the groundwork for its next big growth phase with a mammoth drive to recruit the best minds and talent globally across 180 unique roles. The Group is looking to cherry-pick cabin crew, pilots, engineers, IT professionals and customer service agents at both Emirates and dnata.

Despite tough labour market conditions globally, the Emirates Group ended its financial year on 31 March with more than 102,000 employees, after having welcomed 17,160 people in various roles throughout the year.

Oliver Grohmann, Senior Vice President Human Resources at the Emirates Group said: “The Emirates Group has built an extraordinary reputation as an employer of choice and as a trailblazing force in aviation. People aspire to be part of the Group’s growth story and its ambitions as well as work and live in Dubai, one of the world’s safest, most cosmopolitan and dynamic cities. In the last financial year, we received around 2.7 million applications globally for roles across the organisation. We are using the latest technologies, such as digital assessments, artificial intelligence and other top-notch recruitment systems to shortlist, select and respond to candidates in the most efficient and effective ways. Our focus is on recruiting the best talent, the brightest minds, and those most fit for the various roles that will support and drive our future growth and expansion.”

The fresh callout for cabin crew and pilots comes at one of the most exciting times in Emirates’ history – a year of record financial results and profit share, projected growth, network expansion, delivery of the new fleet of Airbus A350s and Boeing 777-Xs starting in 2024, a buoyant travel market and an optimistic outlook overall.

Cabin crew

Emirates is organising open days and invite-only events across 6 continents, covering hundreds of cities all year round, in search of the brightest talent to offer customers an unmatched onboard experience. The recruitment process is carefully designed to be completed within a day, and candidates are contacted within 48 hours of the assessment.

As part of the world’s largest international airline, Emirates’ cabin crew community represents over 140 nationalities, speaks around 130 languages and delivers the airline’s signature services with excellence and empathy. Aspiring cabin crew can browse the recruitment events calendar, view benefits and eligibility criteria, and apply here.

Pilots

Emirates is holding a series of open days to recruit pilots in the UK and Ireland – Dublin, Manchester, London Gatwick and London Stansted – in August, after successfully running these events in Budapest, Madrid and Lisbon in June. An online information session is slated for 19 July at 1pm Dubai time.

Emirates’ pilots fly one of the world’s youngest and most sophisticated fleets, with 260 all wide-body aircraft of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, to six continents, 150 destinations, and across all terrains, including the North Pole. Since 2022, the airline has welcomed over 900 new pilots on its three recruitment programmes – Direct Entry Captains, Accelerated Command, and First Officers.

A380 Direct Entry Captain: designed for captains with recent command experience on Airbus fly-by-wire Wide Body such as the A330, A340, A350, and A380.

Accelerated Command: for experienced Airbus Captains, who currently command narrow-body aircraft on regional routes.

First Officer: for those who have multi-engine, multi-crew aircraft experience, and a valid Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL).

For more info on benefits, eligibility criteria and to register for the online information session, click here.

Engineers

Emirates Engineering is planning open days in Australia, Canada, Brazil, South Africa and the UK in July and August. With 260 all wide-body aircraft in the fleet, the largest retrofit programme in aviation underway in-house, and with the A350s and 777-Xs joining the fleet soon, Emirates is looking for 75 Structural Technicians along with over 400 positions in aircraft maintenance engineering and engineering support roles.

To know more about Engineering roles, entry requirements and the registration process, click here.

IT professionals

The Group aims to recruit over 400 IT professionals with the right skills for a range of roles in software engineering, DevOps, hybrid cloud, agile delivery, technical product management, digital workplace, cybersecurity, IT architecture, innovation and service management.

The Group’s IT team works on projects across B2C, B2B, support functions and operations for more than 40 brands and businesses in Dubai and globally. The team works with advanced tools, technologies and patterns including cloud services, robotics, DevOps, biometrics, web and native mobile development, and modern programming languages.

The IT team routinely introduces cutting-edge technologies and applications to airline operations, develops flexible, user-friendly customer interfaces, uses in-depth data analysis, and implements machine learning and robotics in partnership with industry leaders.

To learn more about the diverse IT roles available, entry requirements and the registration process, click here.

Customer service roles

For those who dream of being in aviation, interacting with people from all over the planet and being a part of an iconic brand and a professional team, the Emirates Group’s customer service roles are a step in the right direction. The Group is looking for exceptional individuals who will receive extensive training prior to joining Emirates Airport Services, dnata, marhaba or the contact centres. Those in customer service roles can work either in full-time or part-time positions and enjoy the flexibility to fulfil their lifestyle and career goals.

To know more about customer service roles, click here.

The Emirates Group is also recruiting for several other roles across the organisation, including at dnata, Emirates SkyCargo and in airport services. Those wishing to be a part of the Emirates Group are advised to regularly visit www.emiratesgroupcareers.com to check out the latest roles and updates.

Emirates offers a range of benefits designed for employees and their families to lead an enriching and enjoyable lifestyle. This includes deeply discounted flight tickets for employees, family and friends, competitive tax-free salary, accommodation and transport allowances, life insurance and medical cover, and bonus eligibility. The Emirates Platinum card offers employees thousands of exclusive offers and privileges from hundreds of retail, leisure, service, and hospitality brands in the UAE and globally.

April 26, 2023

Dubai, UAE, 26 April 2023 – Advancing its sustainability efforts, Emirates and dnata have joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), a voluntary global initiative that promotes responsible business practices and the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, said: “In the UAE’s Year of Sustainability, we are pleased to join the United Nations Global Compact, which is another step forward in the Emirates Group’s efforts to embed sustainable and responsible business practices across our operations.

“Emirates and dnata have always taken a balanced approach to growth. Reflecting Dubai and the UAE’s long-term vision, we are tireless in our pursuit of excellence and progress, and we embrace the values of tolerance and respect. We will continue to invest in technologies, people, and partnerships to improve our business performance, expand our positive impact on the communities we serve, and reduce our environmental impact,” he added.

As participants of the UNGC, Emirates and dnata commit to implementing the Global Compact’s Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption, and to report on its progress on these efforts annually. The Group will benefit from access to the UNGC’s extensive tools and resources to engage with its employees across the globe and improve their learning and training in Sustainability.

The Emirates Group’s ongoing environmental initiatives focus on three areas: emissions reduction, responsible consumption and the preservation of wildlife and habitats. In June 2022, dnata pledged US$100 million to be invested over two years to enhance environmental efficiency in its operations. In January, Emirates successfully operated a milestone demonstration flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in one engine, supporting collective industry efforts to enable a future of 100% SAF flying.

Emirates supports IATA’s collective industry commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, as well as ICAO’s Long-Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) for international aviation to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The airline is reviewing opportunities and pathways that will help to achieve this goal, which include fleet renewal, operational fuel efficiency, sustainable and low carbon aviation fuels, and renewable energy.

The Group is committed to gender balance. It is a signatory to the UAE Gender Balance Council’s pledge which aims to increase female representation at middle to senior management positions by 2025; and dnata has signed up to IATA’s 25by2025 initiative to strengthen and improve female representation within its organization.

Enriching and supporting communities, Emirates and dnata regularly mobilise resources for humanitarian relief efforts which in 2022 included initiatives for the Pakistan floods, and Turkey-Syria earthquake earlier this year. Through the Emirates Airline Foundation and dnata4good, Emirates and dnata work with NGOs to provide those in need with access to education, shelter, food and clean water. The Group contributes to the future of aviation and travel by building human capital and supporting innovation platforms. Emirates’ active global sponsorships calendar brings fans and communities together, promotes sports, and helps provide future sports stars with opportunities.

Committed to ethical and responsible practices, the Group has cross-functional internal committees that govern and monitor critical strategic, operational, financial, and reputational areas. It has systems and programmes in place to ensure awareness and compliance with policies such as: anti-bribery and corruption, anti-money laundering, anti-slavery and human trafficking, antitrust and competition, conflicts of interest, data protection and cybersecurity, and sanctions and export controls.

May 13, 2022

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

DUBAI, UAE, 13 May 2022 – 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 our 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.

The full 2021-22 Annual Report of the Emirates Group – comprising Emirates, dnata and their subsidiaries – is available at: www.theemiratesgroup.com/annualreport

November 30, 2021

Emirates Group has celebrated the UAE’s 50^th National Day with a range of activities that reflect the country’s unique heritage and history.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group, launched the celebrations with a cake-cutting ceremony to commemorate the nation’s golden jubilee. Sheikh Ahmed then toured the exhibits and activities, alongside the Group’s Emirati employees and their expat colleagues, who represent the diverse talent pool that make up the Group and the UAE.

The Emirates Group Headquarters was abuzz with a range of celebratory activity. Cultural highlights included a heritage village, which featured henna art, an Emirati-themed photo booth, and an Emirati group that performed Al-Ayyala; a traditional local dance that symbolizes the country’s identity and union.

Declared ‘The Year of The 50^th’ by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, 2021 is the UAE’s golden jubilee. On this occasion, there are nation-wide celebrations of the UAE leadership’s vision and achievements, as well as its boundless ambitions for the next 50 years. Emirates also marked the nation’s special anniversary earlier this year by unveiling a custom ‘United Arab Emirates 50’ livery on a number of its Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A380 aircraft., taking the nation’s milestone message to destinations across its global network.

November 10, 2021

Group: Revenue up 81% to AED 24.7 billion (US$ 6.7 billion), and loss of AED 5.7 billion (US$ 1.6 billion) after last year’s loss of AED 14.1 billion (US$ 3.8 billion). Substantially improved results reflect recovery across all business segments and easing of COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions worldwide.
Emirates: Revenue up 86% to AED 21.7 billion (US$ 5.9 billion), and loss of AED 5.8 billion (US$ 1.6 billion) compared to AED 12.6 billion (US$ 3.4 billion) loss for the same period last year. Revenue recovery supported by increasing passenger demand and continuous strong cargo business.
dnata: Revenue up 55% to AED 3.7 billion (US$ 1 billion), profit of AED 85 million (US$ 23 million) after last year’s loss of AED 1.5 billion (US$ 396 million), as operations across all dnata business units globally recover from the substantial impact of COVID-19.

DUBAI, U.A.E., 10 November 2021: The Emirates Group today announced its half-year results for its 2021-22 financial year.

Group revenue was AED 24.7 billion (US$ 6.7 billion) for the first six months of 2021-22, up 81% from AED 13.7 billion (US$ 3.7 billion) during the same period last year. This strong revenue recovery was underpinned by the easing of travel restrictions worldwide and the corresponding increase in demand for air transport as countries progressed their COVID-19 vaccination programmes.

The Group is reporting a 2021-22 half-year net loss of AED 5.7 billion (US$ 1.6 billion), substantially improved from its AED 14.1 billion (US$ 3.8 billion) loss for the same period last year.

The Group also reported an EBITDA of AED 5.6 billion (US$ 1.5 billion), a dramatic turnaround from a negative AED 43 million (US$ 12 million) EBITDA during the same period last year, illustrating its strong return to operating profitability.

The Group continued to maintain a healthy cash position which stood at AED 18.8 billion (US$ 5.1 billion) on 30 September 2021, compared to AED 19.8 billion (US$ 5.4 billion) as on 31 March 2021.

His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “As we began our 2021-22 financial year, COVID-19 vaccination programmes were being rolled out at unprecedented scale around the world. Across the Group, we saw operations and demand pick up as countries started to ease travel restrictions. This momentum accelerated over the summer and continues to grow steadily into the winter season and beyond.

“Our cargo transport and handling businesses continued to perform strongly, providing the bedrock upon which we were able to quickly reinstate passenger services. While there’s still some way to go before we restore our operations to pre-pandemic levels and return to profitability, we are well on the recovery path with healthy revenue and a solid cash balance at the end of our first half of 2021-22.

Sheikh Ahmed added: “We would like to thank our customers for their continued support, as well as all our aviation and travel industry stakeholders and partners for their efforts that have made it possible for international air travel to resume safely and smoothly.”

“Our ability to pivot and pull through the toughest period in our history to date, can be attributed to Emirates’ and dnata’s strong brands, high quality products and services, digital and innovation capabilities, and our amazing people. We intend to continue investing in these core areas to take our business into the future, together with the leaner processes and new technology capabilities that we’ve implemented in the past months.”

The Emirates Group has been able to tap on its own strong cash reserves, and access funding through its Owner and the broader financial community to support its business needs through the unprecedented challenges wrought on the aviation and travel industry by COVID-19. In the first half of 2021-22, its Owner further injected AED 2.5 billion (US$ 681 million) into Emirates by way of an equity investment and they continue to support the airline on its recovery path.

The Emirates Group’s employee base, compared to 31 March 2021, dropped marginally by 2% to an overall count of 73,571 at 30 September 2021. In line with the expected ramp up in capacity and business activities in the coming months, Emirates and dnata have embarked on targeted recruitment drives to support its requirements, prioritising the rehiring of employees previously on furlough or made redundant.

Emirates airline

During the first six months of 2021-22, Emirates took delivery of 2 new A380s and retired 2 older aircraft from its fleet as part of its long-standing strategy to improve overall efficiency, minimise its emissions footprint, and provide high quality customer experiences.

With a clear focus on restoring its passenger network and connections through its Dubai hub, Emirates responded with agility whenever travel restrictions lifted to restart services or layer on additional flights. In July, it launched services to Miami, a new destination, and during the first half of 2021-22, Emirates also activated codeshare and interline partnerships with Airlink, Aeromar, Azul, Cemair and South African Airways to expand connectivity options for customers.

By 30 September, the airline was operating passenger and cargo services to 139 airports, utilising its entire Boeing 777 fleet and 37 A380s.

Emirates also continued to introduce initiatives that improve travel experience, boost customer confidence, and enable secure and efficient operations. In June, Emirates became the first airline to sign up for the worldwide implementation of the IATA Travel Pass, in addition its ongoing investments in additional biometric and other digital verification technologies at Dubai Airport.

For its premium customer and frequent flyers, Emirates reinstated more of its signatures Lounge and Chauffeur Drive services at key airports outside of Dubai, and it also launched an online subscription platform “Skywards+”, to offer its 27 million members easy access to customized rewards and privileges.

Overall capacity during the first six months of the year increased by 66% to 16.3 billion Available Tonne Kilometres (ATKM) due to a substantially expanded flight programme as more countries eased travel and flight restrictions. Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), more than tripled by 250%, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKM) was up by 335% with average Passenger Seat Factor recovering to 47.9%, compared with last year’s pandemic figure of 38.6%.

Emirates carried 6.1 million passengers between 1 April and 30 September 2021, up 319% from the same period last year. The volume of cargo uplifted at 1.1 million tonnes has increased by 39%, which brings the business back to 90% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels by volume handled. This shows Emirates Skycargo’s outstanding agility and ability to meet the requirements of its customers whether it be for the transport of vaccines and pharmaceuticals, essential goods like food and perishables, or champion horses and high performance cars.

In the first half of 2021-22, Emirates Skycargo boosted its pharma cool chain handling infrastructure with the addition of 94 cool room pallet positions to its existing EU GDP compliant infrastructure at Dubai airport. Emirates Skycargo continues to support the global roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines, having carried over 150 million doses through its Dubai hub by July 2021.

In the first half of the 2021-22 financial year, Emirates loss was AED 5.8 billion (US$ 1.6 billion), compared to last year’s loss of AED 12.6 billion (US$ 3.4 billion). Emirates revenue, including other operating income, of AED 21.7 billion (US$ 5.9 billion) was up 86% compared with the AED 11.7 billion (US$ 3.2 billion) recorded during the same period last year. The strong revenue recovery reflects quick return of passenger demand wherever flight and travel restrictions were eased around the world.

Emirates operating costs increased by 22% against an overall capacity growth of 66%. Fuel costs more than doubled compared to the same period last year. This was primarily due to an 81% higher fuel uplift in line with substantially increased flight operations during the six-month period up to end of September, and also an increase in average oil prices. Fuel, which was the largest component of the airline’s operating cost in pre-pandemic reporting cycles, accounted for 20% of operating costs compared to only 11% in the first six months of last year.

Driven by the significant increase in operations during the six months, Emirates’ EBITDA recovered to AED 5.0 billion (US$ 1.4 billion) compared to AED 290 million (US$ 79 million) for the same period last year.

June 15, 2021

HH-Sheikh-Ahmed-bin-Saeed-Al-Maktoum-Chairman-and-Chief-Executive-Emirates-airline-and-Group.jpg

Group records annual loss of AED 22.1 billion (US$ 6.0 billion) due to COVID-19 pandemic impact, its first non-profitable year in over three decades

Group revenue of AED 35.6 billion (US$ 9.7 billion) impacted by worldwide travel restrictions and border closures during the entire financial year
Results impacted by one-time impairment charges of AED 1.5 billion on Group’s non-financial assets
Ends year with solid cash balance of AED 19.8 billion (US$ 5.4 billion)

Emirates reports a loss of AED 20.3 billion (US$ 5.5 billion) down from AED 1.1 billion (US$ 288 million) profit in the previous year

Revenue declined by 66% to AED 30.9 billion (US$ 8.4 billion), due to the temporary suspension of passenger flights at its hub in March 2020 and ongoing global travel restrictions
Airline capacity reduced to 24.8 billion ATKMs, with aircraft fleet size reduced by 11 aircraft

dnata reports a loss of AED 1.8 billion (US$ 496 million) down from AED 618 million (US$ 168 million) profit in the previous year

Revenue declined by 62% to AED 5.5 billion (US$ 1.5 billion), reflecting the pandemic impact across all business divisions in the UAE and worldwide
Expands global footprint with the full acquisition of Destination Asia, and the opening of new catering and retail facilities

DUBAI, UAE, 15 June 2021 – The Emirates Group today announced its first year of loss in over 30 years caused by a significant drop in revenue, fully attributed to the impact of COVID-19 related flight and travel restrictions throughout its entire financial year 2020-21.

Released today in its 2020-21 Annual Report, the Emirates Group posted a loss of AED 22.1 billion (US$ 6.0 billion) for the financial year ended 31 March 2021 compared with an AED 1.7 billion (US$ 456 million) profit for last year. The Group’s revenue was AED 35.6 billion (US$ 9.7 billion), a decline of 66% over last year’s results. The Group’s cash balance was AED 19.8 billion (US$ 5.4 billion), down 23% from last year mainly due to weak demand caused by the various pandemic related business and travel restrictions across all of the Group’s core business divisions and markets.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a tremendous toll on human lives, communities, economies, and on the aviation and travel industry. In 2020-21, Emirates and dnata were hit hard by the drop in demand for international air travel as countries closed their borders and imposed stringent travel restrictions.

“Our top priorities throughout the year were: the health and wellbeing of our people and customers, preserving cash and controlling costs, and restoring our operations safely and sustainably. Emirates received a capital injection of AED 11.3 billion (US$ 3.1 billion) from our ultimate shareholder, the Government of Dubai, and dnata tapped on various industry support programmes and availed a total relief of nearly AED 800 million in 2020-21. These helped us sustain operations and retain the vast majority of our talent pool. Unfortunately, we still had to make the difficult decision to resize our workforce in line with reduced operational requirements.”

For the first time in the Group’s history, redundancies were implemented across all parts of the business. As a result, the Group’s total workforce reduced by 31% to 75,145 employees, representing over 160 different nationalities.

Keeping a tight control on costs, across the Group, financial obligations were restructured, contracts renegotiated, processes examined and operations consolidated. The various cost reduction initiatives returned an estimated saving of AED 7.7 billion during the year.

In 2020-21, the Group collectively invested AED 4.7 billion (US$ 1.3 billion) in new aircraft and facilities, the acquisition of companies, and the latest technologies to position the business for recovery and future growth. It also continued to invest resources towards environmental initiatives, as well as supporting communities and incubator programmes that nurture talent and innovation to drive future industry growth.

Sheikh Ahmed said: “No one knows when the pandemic will be over, but we know recovery will be patchy. Economies and companies that entered pandemic times in a strong position, will be better placed to bounce back. Until 2020-21, Emirates and dnata have had a track record of growth and profitability, based on solid business models, steady investments in capability and infrastructure, a strong drive for innovation, and a deep talent pool led by a stable leadership team. These fundamental ingredients of our success remain unchanged. Together with Dubai’s undiminished ambitions to grow economic activity and build a city for the future, I am confident that Emirates and dnata will recover and be stronger than before.”

He concluded: “In the year ahead, we will continue to adopt an agile approach in responding to the dynamic marketplace. We aim to recover to our full operating capacity as quickly as possible to serve our customers, and to continue contributing to the rebuilding of economies and communities impacted by the pandemic.”

Emirates performance

Emirates’ total passenger and cargo capacity declined by 58% to 24.8 billion ATKMs at the end of 2020-21, due to pandemic related flight and travel restrictions including a complete suspension of commercial passenger services for nearly eight weeks as directed by the UAE government from 25 March 2020.

Emirates received three new A380 aircraft during the financial year and phased out 14 older aircraft comprising of 9 Boeing 777-300ERs and 5 A380s, leaving its total fleet count at 259 at the end of March. Emirates’ average fleet age remains at a youthful 7.3 years.

Emirates’ order book for 200 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.

Working closely with aviation stakeholders to design and implement bio-safety measures, Emirates gradually restored its passenger network and hub connectivity from mid-June 2020 as the UAE re-opened for transit travellers and later for international arrivals.

During the year, Emirates reactivated its strategic codeshare partnership with flydubai, and entered into agreements with new partners TAP Air Portugal, FlySafair, and Airlink in South Africa, to expand connectivity for its customers.

From zero scheduled passenger flights at the start of the financial year, to operations in over 120 destinations by 31 March 2021, Emirates has shown its ability to adapt and respond to challenges, and the resilience of its people and business model.

With significantly reduced and constrained capacity deployment across most markets, Emirates’ total revenue for the financial year declined 66% to AED 30.9 billion (US$ 8.4 billion). Currency fluctuations this year had no significant impact on airline revenue.

Total operating costs decreased by 46% from last financial year. Cost of ownership (depreciation and amortisation) and employee cost were the two biggest cost components for the airline in 2020-21, followed by fuel, which accounted for 14% of operating costs compared to 31% in 2019-20. The airline’s fuel bill declined by 76% to AED 6.4 billion (US$ 1.7 billion) compared to the previous year, driven primarily by 69% lower uplift in line with capacity reduction.

Due to ongoing pandemic-related flight and travel restrictions, the airline reported a loss of AED 20.3 billion (US$ 5.5 billion) after last year’s AED 1.1 billion (US$ 288 million) profit, and a negative profit margin of 65.6%. This includes a one-time impairment charge of AED 710 million (US$ 193 million) mainly relating to certain aircraft which are currently grounded and are not expected to return to service before their scheduled retirement within the next financial year.

Emirates carried 6.6 million passengers (down 88%) in 2020-21, with seat capacity down by 83%. The airline reports a Passenger Seat Factor of 44.3%, compared with last year’s passenger seat factor of 78.5%; and a 48% increase in passenger yield to 38.9 fils (10.6 US cents) per Revenue Passenger Kilometre (RPKM), due largely to a favourable route mix, fares and continued healthy demand for premium seats. Seat load factor and yield results cannot be compared against the previous year’s performance due to the unusual pandemic situation.

In response to the pandemic, Emirates led the industry in developing new service and operating protocols to protect its customers and employees. During the year, it launched numerous customer initiatives such as: providing the industry’s first complimentary COVID-19 medical cover for all passengers; waiving fees so customers can rebook their travel without penalty; expediting refunds handling; and fast-tracking biometric processing and other technology projects that enhanced the travel experience while reducing contact at airport touchpoints.

Emirates invested to upgrade its signature A380 experience with new Premium Economy seats and other product enhancements. It also launched new technology platforms Emirates Partners Portal and Emirates Gateway, to better engage and serve travel trade partners.

For frequent flyers, Emirates Skywards offered generous extension on Tier status and Miles validity until 2022, and launched various initiatives to help its members earn and redeem rewards even if they are unable to immediately travel.

Emirates SkyCargo put in a stellar performance by rapidly responding to new demand in a changed global marketplace, contributing to 60% of the airline’s total transport revenue.

Emirates SkyCargo quickly scaled up operations and rebuilt its cargo network to meet strong demand from shippers who faced a capacity crunch when the pandemic forced airlines to drastically reduce flights. It supplemented its existing freighter capacity by bringing into service 19 “mini freighters” – modified Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft with seats in the economy cabin removed to make room for more cargo. The cargo division also introduced new loading protocols to safely utilise overhead bins and passenger seats to carry cargo.

In addition to supporting global supply chains for food, medical and other trade items, Emirates SkyCargo also tapped on its pharma capabilities and infrastructure to support the worldwide distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and humanitarian relief to Lebanon in the aftermath of the Port of Beirut explosions.

In October, Emirates SkyCargo set up a dedicated GDP-certified airside hub in Dubai for COVID-19 vaccines, and later it partnered with UNICEF to facilitate the rapid transport of COVID-19 vaccines to developing nations through Dubai.

With the strong demand in air freight throughout the year, Emirates’ cargo division reported a revenue of AED 17.1 billion (US$ 4.7 billion), an increase of 53% over last year.

Freight yield per Freight Tonne Kilometre (FTKM) increased strongly by 88%, due to the unique pandemic situation which led to significantly reduced cargo capacity in the market worldwide.

Tonnage carried decreased by 22% to reach 1.9 million tonnes, due to the reduced available bellyhold capacity for the entire year. At the end of 2020-21, Emirates’ SkyCargo’s total freighter fleet stood unchanged at 11 Boeing 777Fs.

Emirates’ hotels portfolio recorded revenue of AED 296 million (US$ 81 million), a decline of 49% over last year as the events business dried up and facilities had to shut temporarily due to the pandemic.

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

In addition to the AED 14.5 billion financing that was raised for aircraft and general corporate purposes in 2020-21, Emirates has already received committed offers to finance two aircraft deliveries due in 2021-22 and continues to tap the financial market for further liquidity to provide a cushion for the potential impact of COVID-19 on the business cash flows in the near term.

Emirates closed the financial year with cash assets of AED 15.1 billion (US$ 4.1 billion), a position which would have stronger if not for a one-time payout of AED 8.5 billion for customer refunds.

dnata performance

The impact of COVID-19 was felt across all dnata businesses, and in 2020-21 dnata recorded a loss of AED 1.8 billion (US$ 496 million) for the first time. This includes impairment charges of AED 766 million (USD 209 million) on goodwill and other intangible assets across all its divisions.

With reduced flight and travel activity across the world, dnata’s total revenue decreased by 62% to AED 5.5 billion (US$ 1.5 billion). dnata’s international business accounts for 62% of its revenue.

dnata continued to lay the foundations for future growth with investments in 2020-21 amounting to AED 328 million (US$ 89 million). During the year, dnata completed the purchase of Destination Asia, bringing one of Southeast Asia’s top destination management companies fully under the dnata Travel Group umbrella. It also pressed ahead with key investments to strengthen the business including the opening of a new state-of-the-art cargo facility in Manchester; upgrades to technology across its leisure and corporate travel businesses; the setting up of a dedicated inflight retail centre of excellence in the UK to serve global customers; and the opening of its second catering facility in Dublin.

In 2020-21, dnata’s operating costs decreased by 48% to AED 7.4 billion (US$ 2.0 billion), in line with reduced operations in its Airport Operations, Catering and Travel divisions across the world.

dnata’s cash balance was AED 4.7 billion (US$ 1.3 billion), a decline by 12%. Cash used in financing activities, primarily payments for loans and leases, amounted to AED 548 million (US$ 149 million), while the business utilised net cash of AED 149 million (US$ 41 million) in essential investing activities. The business saw a positive operating cash flow of AED 10 million (US$ 3 million) in 2020-21 despite the sharp decline in revenues and the unprecedented volumes of refunds in its travel division.

Revenue from dnata’s UAE Airport Operations, including ground and cargo handling declined to AED 1.7 billion (US$ 455 million).

The number of aircraft turns handled by dnata in the UAE declined by 59% to 78,000. This reflects the impact of the suspension of scheduled passenger flights at both Dubai airports (DXB and DWC) in March 2020 as part of the UAE’s pandemic containment measures. dnata’s cargo handling declined by 18% to 575,000 tonnes, reflecting the reduced available flight capacity in the overall air cargo market over the year.

dnata’s International Airport Operations division revenue declined by 43% to AED 2.3 billion (US$ 617 million), reflecting the broad impact of the global pandemic across markets. International airport operations continue to represent the largest business segment in dnata by revenue contribution.

The number of aircraft turns handled decreased by 57% to 211,000, on account of lower business volumes; whereas there was only a minor 5% decline in cargo handled to 2.1 million tonnes given the strong air freight demand across many markets.

During 2020-21, dnata’s Airport Operations division continued to strengthen its international reach and capability. In Singapore and Australia, it introduced new high-tech cool dollies to enhance its pharma and perishables handling capability; in Italy its subsidiary, Airport Handling SpA, partnered with Beta Trans to provide full cargo services to customers at Milan Malpensa Airport; and in Indonesia, dnata entered the market through a partnership with PT UNEX Rajawali Indonesia (UNEX) where both entities will make joint investments in ground handling facilities, equipment, and training.

dnata continued to win new contracts in 2020-21. Notably, in Australia dnata began ground handling for Qantas at most of its major airports and GTA dnata, its joint-venture company in Canada, was awarded a five-year ground handling license for ramp, passenger, and cargo warehousing services at Vancouver International Airport.

In 2020-21, dnata executed the US’s first green turnaround of a customer aircraft at New York JFK, an achievement made possible by its previous investments in zero-emission, electric ramp ground support equipment. Its airport services brand, marhaba, opened an expanded and refurbished lounge at Dubai International airport, and expanded its international network with a new lounge in Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

dnata’s Catering business accounted for AED 1.0 billion (US$ 285 million) of dnata’s revenue, significantly down by 68%. The inflight catering business uplifted nearly 16.9 million meals to airline customers, a substantial decrease of 82%. This is primarily due to the full year impact of the pandemic situation including a nearly 12-month shut down of the facilities in Australia which dnata had acquired only two years ago.

Through the year, the Catering division adapted its products and services to meet new customer requirements, including the provision of meals for quarantine facilities. It also worked with local organisations in Australia, Ireland, Italy and the UK to support communities in need.

Progressing with key investments for its future growth, dnata Catering inaugurated a second state-of-the-art catering facility in Dublin, introduced new bio-digesters to reduce food waste across its operations, and solar panels at its Singapore facility as part of its commitment to reduce its environmental footprint.

Revenue from dnata’s Travel Services division has declined by 96% to AED 130 million (US$ 35 million). The reported total transaction value (TTV) of travel services sold declined by 98% to AED 229 million (US$ 62 million). Excluding the impact of COVID-19 related cancellation of bookings, revenue from Travel division declined by 89% to AED 294 million and the TTV dropped by 83% to AED 1.7 billion.

dnata’s Travel division saw corporate and leisure travel demand dry up across markets.

Throughout an incredibly tough year with a fast-changing global travel environment, dnata’s Travel division focussed on initiatives to support its customers and provide value. Across its travel brands, dnata helped its customers rebuild traveller trust by processing refunds and rebookings, and providing the latest travel information.

dnata Travel Group continued to secure growth opportunities. During the year, it provided online booking capability for London City Airport in the UK, and expanded its reach in Oman through a partnership with OUA Travel that enables Oman-based trade agents to promote and sell Gold Medal’s wide range of travel products to their customers.

In the UAE and GCC region, dnata’s Travel business remained steady. dnata leveraged its established home market presence and the re-opening of Dubai for international travel to promote the UAE, and its UAE-based tour operating division Arabian Adventures started new experiences.

The full 2020-21 Annual Report of the Emirates Group – comprising Emirates, dnata and their subsidiaries – is available at: www.theemiratesgroup.com/annualreport

March 3, 2021

Success stories at Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve and Emirates Wolgan Valley showcase results of decades-long investment
Emirates SkyCargo champions zero tolerance policy on illegal wildlife trade

Dubai, UAE, 3 March 2021: On the occasion of World Wildlife Day, the Emirates Group has reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to protecting wildlife and habitats. It also shone the spotlight on conservation efforts across the organisation at an online Environment Forum for its global employees.

During the forum, experts from the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, Emirates One & Only Wolgan Valley in Australia, and Emirates SkyCargo spoke about the work being done to protect endangered species and habitats in Dubai, restoration efforts following aftermath of the Australian bushfires, and how the airline was doing its part to foil wildlife trafficking across its network.

In addition to reducing emissions and consuming responsibly, the preservation of wildlife and habitats is one of the three pillars under The Emirates Group’s environmental sustainability strategy. The Group believes that future generations should enjoy seeing wildlife in the wild, and that the world’s beauty and biodiversity is an inspiration for travel.

Watch a short video here on Emirates’ commitment to wildlife conservation.

Rehabilitation of wildlife and natural habitats

Since 2003, The Emirates Group has funded and supported the 225 square kilometre Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR), a protected inland desert habitat that houses over 560 different species and where 31,000 native trees have been planted. DDCR plays an important role in preserving Dubai’s unique desert environment including its indigenous flora and fauna.

Amongst its achievements, is DDCR’s successful reintroduction programme that started in 1999. Since then, the programme has grown the ungulate population- including the Arabian oryx, Arabian gazelle and sand gazelle, to over 1,300. In fact, the reintroduction programmes have proved so successful that they have triggered the process of relocating some species to other protected areas within the region. Additionally, over 2,800 houbara, or MacQueen’s bustard have been reintroduced into the DDCR, while other important bird species such as the pharaoh eagle-owl and the lappet-faced vulture are resident in the reserve, and some birds are monitored via satellite tags.

The DDCR is a regional leader in ecological research, actively collaborating with local and international educational and research institutions with over 30 biodiversity projects completed so far. DDCR also promotes sustainable tourism, and provides authentic desert experiences while educating visitors on the delicate nature and the living heritage of Dubai. Prior to the pandemic, the reserve responsibly hosted close to 290,000 tourists a year, making it the most visited protected area in the region.

In Australia, Emirates has been supporting the protection of Australia’s wilderness and bush for over 12 years through the conservation-based Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley located in the World Heritage-listed Greater Blue Mountains region.

Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley demonstrates a strong commitment to its carbon neutral status by scaling up its environmental, heritage and environmental initiatives. After the bushfires in early 2020, which affected a portion of the Blue Mountains, the teams at One&Only Wolgan Valley embarked on a regeneration of the landscape, and habitat restoration work has been stepped up at the resort with several ‘Habitat Recovery Areas’ identified as a source of environmental data to monitor the gradual renewal of wildlife and ecosystems.

The parts of the landscape that were impacted have made a rapid recovery and wildlife biodiversity and ecosystems have been largely preserved. Over the past decade, a seedbank of over one million seeds representing 25 native species has been built up with the assistance of field guides, hotel employees and guests at the property. These seedlings are now playing a vital role in repopulating areas of damage, helping to recreate natural habitat complexity for insects, reptiles and small marsupials who have been impacted by the bushfires.

Additionally, the mapping of significant, hollow-bearing trees on the property, some dating over 150 years old, is being done to collect information and provide a snapshot of the impact of the bushfires on different species who sought refuge there. Other projects include habitat restoration with guests, which involves moving and shifting debris to improve habitat complexity. This helps to create shelters and wildlife corridors, which is vital to helping animal and insect populations thrive after the bushfires.

A vigilant approach to stop illegal wildlife trafficking

Emirates SkyCargo has stepped up as a global leader in the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking and exploitation. In 2016, Emirates signed the Buckingham Palace Declaration, and joined the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade. It is also a partner of ROUTES (Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species).

Emirates SkyCargo has adopted a zero tolerance policy on illegal wildlife trade which includes big cats, elephants, rhinos and pangolins, among other types of contraband animal cargo, and has implemented a complete ban on hunting trophies for the Big-4, even in cases where the shipment may be considered legal under CITES* rules.

Emirates SkyCargo has also invested in awareness campaigns, as well as education and training on issues associated with illegal wildlife trade for its teams. Cargo teams are trained to look out for warning signs of smuggled wildlife products during cargo transportation and screening. This includes document verification, container or cage examination, and confirming the authenticity of CITES* permits. Employees across the business are encouraged to report suspicious activity through designated internal channels for investigation, and the intelligence gathered is shared with relevant authorities as well as used to benefit the worldwide data collection for further wildlife trafficking prevention purposes.

Working with Dubai Customs, Dubai Police and other authorities globally, Emirates SkyCargo has helped to intercept several illegal wildlife shipments since 2017.

November 12, 2020

Group: Revenue down 74% to AED 13.7 billion (US$ 3.7 billion), and loss of AED 14.1 billion (US$ 3.8 billion) after last year’s profit of AED 1.2 billion (US$ 320 million). Results significantly impacted by unprecedented flight and travel restrictions worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emirates: Revenue down 75% to AED 11.7 billion (US$ 3.2 billion), and loss of AED 12.6 billion (US$ 3.4 billion) after a half-year profit of AED 862 million (US$ 235 million) for the same period last year. Revenue mainly supported by strong cargo business.
dnata: Revenue down 67% to AED 2.4 billion (US$ 644 million), loss of AED 1.5 billion (US$ 396 million) after last year’s profit of AED 311 million (US$ 85 million), reflecting the impact of COVID-19 across all dnata business units globally. The loss includes impairment charges of AED 689 million (US$ 188 million).

DUBAI, U.A.E., 12 November 2020: The Emirates Group today announced its half-year results for its 2020-21 financial year.

Group revenue was AED 13.7 billion (US$ 3.7 billion) for the first six months of 2020-21, down 74% from AED 53.3 billion (US$ 14.5 billion) during the same period last year. This dramatic revenue decline was due to the COVID-19 pandemic which brought global air passenger travel to a halt for many weeks as countries closed their borders and imposed travel restrictions. As part of pandemic containment measures, Emirates and dnata’s hub in Dubai also suspended scheduled passenger flights for 8 weeks during April and May.

The Group is reporting a 2020-21 half-year net loss of AED 14.1 billion (US$ 3.8 billion).

The Group’s cash position on 30 September 2020 stood at AED 20.7 billion (US$ 5.6 billion), compared to AED 25.6 billion (US$ 7.0 billion) as at 31 March 2020.

His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “We began our current financial year amid a global lockdown when air passenger traffic was at a literal standstill. In this unprecedented situation for the aviation and travel industry, the Emirates Group recorded a half-year loss for the first time in over 30 years.

“As passenger traffic disappeared, Emirates and dnata have been able to rapidly pivot to serve cargo demand and other pockets of opportunity. This has helped us recover our revenues from zero to 26% of our position same time last year.

“The Emirates Group’s resilience in the face of current headwinds is testimony to the strength of our business model, and our years of continued investment in skills, technology and infrastructure which are now paying off in terms of cost and operational efficiency. Emirates and dnata have also built strong brands and agile digital capabilities which continue to serve us well, and enabled us to respond adeptly to the accelerated shift of customer and business activities online over the past 6 months.”

Sheikh Ahmed added: “We would like to thank our customers for their continued support, and express our appreciation for the combined stakeholder efforts that have made it possible for Dubai to resume aviation and other economic activity so quickly and safely. No one can predict the future, but we expect a steep recovery in travel demand once a COVID-19 vaccine is available, and we are readying ourselves to serve that rebound. In the meantime, Emirates and dnata remain responsive in deploying resources to serve our customers and meet demand.

“We have been able to tap on our own strong cash reserves, and through our shareholder and the broader financial community, we continue to ensure we have access to sufficient funding to sustain the business and see us through this challenging period. In the first half of 2020-21, our shareholder injected US$ 2 billion into Emirates by way of an equity investment and they will support us on our recovery path.”

The Emirates Group’s employee base, compared to 31 March 2020, is substantially reduced by 24% to an overall count of 81,334 as at 30 September 2020. This is in line with the company’s expected capacity and business activities in the foreseeable future and general industry outlook. Emirates and dnata continue to look at every means to protect its skilled workforce, including participating in job saver programmes where these exist.

Emirates airline

During the first six months of 2020-21, Emirates retired 3 older aircraft from its fleet as part of its long-standing strategy to improve overall efficiency, minimise its emissions footprint, and provide high quality customer experiences.

As directed by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, Emirates temporarily suspended passenger flights on 25 March and worked closely with governments and embassies to operate repatriation services until Dubai International airport (DXB) re-opened for transit passengers and later for scheduled passenger flights. The airline also partnered with the health authorities to implement comprehensive pandemic health and safety measures onboard and on the ground, to safeguard its customers, employees and the communities it serves.

The airline also took its customer commitment to the next level, by expediting refunds, offering rebooking flexibility, setting up a COVID-19 travel information hub on its website to offer the latest updates on ever-changing travel requirements, and by launching the industry’s first COVID-19 medical cover for all passengers at no additional cost.

Emirates gradually restarted scheduled passenger operations on 21 May. By 30 September, the airline was operating passenger and cargo services to 104 cities.

Overall capacity during the first six months of the year declined by 67% to 9.8 billion Available Tonne Kilometres (ATKM) due to a substantially reduced flight programme over the past months, including the suspension of passenger flights at Dubai international airport for 8 weeks. Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), shrunk by 91%, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKM) was down by 96% with average Passenger Seat Factor falling to 38.6%, compared with last year’s pre-pandemic figure of 81.1%.

Emirates carried 1.5 million passengers between 1 April and 30 September 2020, down 95% from the same period last year. The volume of cargo uplifted at 0.8 million tonnes has decreased by 35% while yield has more than doubled by 106%. This reflects the extraordinary market situation for air freight during the global COVID-19 crisis, where drastically reduced passenger flights led to limited available capacity while airfreight demand rose strongly.

Emirates was able to uplift 65% of its cargo volumes compared to the same period last year, which shows its cargo division’s outstanding agility in adapting its operations to provide air freight services in this new environment. In a very short time, Emirates Skycargo completed the partial retrofit of 10 Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft to transport freight on the main deck, introduced new operation protocols to enable the safe uplift of cargo in passenger cabins, rapidly restarted and scaled up its global cargo network, and put in place comprehensive bio-safety protocols for employees.

In the first half of the 2020-21 financial year, Emirates loss was AED 12.6 billion (US$ 3.4 billion), compared to last year’s profit of AED 862 million (US$ 235 million). Emirates revenue, including other operating income, of AED 11.7 billion (US$ 3.2 billion) was down 75% compared with the AED 47.3 billion (US$ 12.9 billion) recorded during the same period last year. This result was due to severe flight and travel restrictions around the world relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emirates operating costs reduced by 52% against the overall capacity decrease of 67%. Fuel costs were 83% lower compared to the same period last year. This was due to a decrease in oil prices (down 49% compared to same period last year), as well as a 76% lower fuel uplift from substantially reduced flight operations during the six months period up to end of September. Fuel, which was the always the largest component of the airline’s cost in past reporting cycles, only accounted for 11% of operating costs compared with 32% in the first six months of last year.

Despite the significant drop in operations during the six months, Emirates’ EBITDA stood positive at AED 290 million (US$ 79 million) compared to AED 13.2 billion (US$ 3.6 billion) for the same period last year.

dnata

dnata’s businesses in ground handling, catering and travel services were heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as customer airlines cut their flight schedules and service requirements or suspended operations entirely, and dynamic border restrictions around the world curbed travel demand and bookings.

Where eligible, dnata participated in job saver and other government support programmes. This included retraining employees and redeploying them in other essential industries with labour shortfalls during the pandemic. dnata also introduced new flexible work models in markets where it was possible to do so, in order to retain more of its skilled workforce.

Robust airfreight traffic across markets was a bright spot for dnata’s airport operations which responded nimbly to meet customer demand. Across its business divisions, dnata implemented enhanced health and safety measures to safeguard employees and communities, and recalibrated its products and services to meet new client requirements. It also tapped on opportunities in markets as these arose, for instance partnering with healthcare providers to offer airline passengers pre-travel COVID-19 PCR tests as part of its home check-in services.

dnata’s revenue, including other operating income, was AED 2.4 billion (US$ 644 million), a 68% decline compared to AED 7.4 billion (US$ 2.0 billion) last year.

Overall loss for dnata is AED 1.5 billion (US$ 396 million), compared to last year’s profit of AED 311 million (US$ 85 million). This figure includes impairment charges of AED 689 million across dnata’s international business divisions, mainly pertaining to goodwill.

dnata’s airport operations remains the largest contributor to revenue with AED 1.7 billion (US$ 454 million), a 54% decline as compared to the same period last year. Across its operations, the number of aircraft handled by dnata declined sharply by 71% to 102,917, and it handled 1.3 million tonnes of cargo, down 12% only.

dnata’s travel division contributed AED 95 million (US$ 26 million) to revenue after AED 1.8 billion (US$ 488 million) for the same period last year, down 95%. The division reported a negative underlying total transactional value sales of AED 246 million (US$ 67 million) for the first time, after a positive contribution of AED 5.9 billion (US$ 1.6 billion) for the same period last year. This reflects the significant refund volume and pay-out in cancelled customer bookings mainly during the beginning of the pandemic.

dnata’s flight catering operation, contributed AED 426m (US$ 116m) to its total revenue, down 76%. The number of meals uplifted declined by 84% to 8.3 million meals for the first half of the financial year after last year’s 51.9m record performance.

November 10, 2017

Group: Revenue up 6% to AED 49.4 billion (US$ 13.5 billion), and profit of AED 2.3 billion (US$ 631 million), up 77%. Results due to capacity optimisation and efficiency initiatives, easing of strong US dollar, and steady business growth.
Emirates: Revenue up 6% to AED 44.5 billion (US$ 12.1 billion), and profit lift of 111% to AED 1.7 billion (US$ 452 million). 29.2 million passengers carried, up 4%, on overall capacity expansion of 2%.
dnata: Revenue up 7% to AED 6.3 billion (US$ 1.7 billion), profit up 20% to AED 659 million (US$ 180 million). 330,317 aircraft handled, up 11%, 1.5 million tonnes of cargo handled, up 25%.

The Emirates Group has announced its half-year results for 2017-18. The Group saw steady revenue growth and a rebound on profitability compared to the same period last year, in spite of the continuing downward pressure on margins, a rise in oil prices, and other challenges for the airline and travel industry.

The Emirates Group revenue was AED 49.4 billion (US$ 13.5 billion) for the first six months of its 2017-18 financial year, up 6% from AED 46.5 billion (US$ 12.7 billion) during the same period last year.

Profitability rebounded after a low during the same period last year, with the Group reporting a 2017-18 half-year net profit of AED 2.3 billion (US$ 631 million), up 77%. This result was driven by capacity optimisation and efficiency initiatives across the company, steady business growth, and a more favourable foreign exchange situation compared to the same period last year.

The Group’s cash position on 30th September 2017 was at AED 18.9 billion (US$ 5.2 billion), compared to AED 19.1 billion (US$ 5.2 billion) as at 31st March 2017.

His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “A lot of the credit for our 2017-18 half-year results goes to our talented workforce who have worked hard to improve our business performance, and address our challenges without compromising on quality and service.

“Our margins continue to face strong downward pressure from increased competition, oil prices have risen, and we still face weak economic and uncertain political realities in many parts of the world. Yet, the Group has improved revenue and profit performance. This speaks to the resilience of our business model, and the agility of our people.

“The easing of the strong US dollar against other major currencies helped our profitability. We are also seeing the benefit from various initiatives across the company to enhance our capability and efficiency with new technologies and new ways of working. Moving forward, we will continue to keep a careful eye on costs while investing to grow our business and provide our customers with world-class products and services.”

In the past six months, the Group’s employee base reduced by 3% compared to 31 March 2017, from an overall staff count of 105,746 to 102,669. This was largely a result of natural attrition together with a slower pace of recruitment, as various parts of the business adopted new technologies, streamlined business processes and re-allocated resources.
Emirates

Emirates continues to invest in the most advanced wide-body aircraft to improve overall efficiency and provide better customer experience. During the first six months of 2017-18, Emirates received 10 wide-body aircraft – 4 Airbus A380s, and 6 Boeing 777s, with 9 more new aircraft scheduled to be delivered before the end of the financial year. It also retired 5 older aircraft from its fleet with further 4 to be returned by 31 March 2018.

Emirates launched two new passenger services in the first six months of its financial year – to Zagreb (Croatia) and Phnom Penh (Cambodia). As of 30 September, Emirates’ global network spanned 156 destinations in 84 countries. Its fleet stood at 264 aircraft including freighters.

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

In July, the airline announced a partnership with flydubai, leveraging both airlines’ complementary networks to open new city-pair routings for customers, and optimise operations at Dubai International airport. Emirates also announced it will extend its successful partnership with Qantas for a further five years in tandem with joint network adjustments that will offer travellers more connectivity and flight choices to and from Australia and New Zealand.

Overall capacity during the first six months of the year increased a modest 2% to 30.8 billion Available Tonne Kilometres (ATKM). Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), grew by 3%, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKM) was up 5% with average Passenger Seat Factor rising to 77.2%, compared with last year’s 75.3%.

Emirates carried 29.2 million passengers between 1 April and 30 September 2017, up 4% from the same period last year. The volume of cargo uplifted at 1.3 million tonnes is up 5% while yield improved by 8%. This solid performance speaks to Emirates SkyCargo’s recent investments in products and services tailored to key sectors, and is also a positive sign of a gradual recovery in the global air freight market.

In the first half of the 2017-18 financial year, Emirates net profit is AED 1.7 billion (US$ 452 million), up 111%, compared to last year. Emirates revenue, including other operating income, of AED 44.5 billion (US$ 12.1 billion) was up 6% compared with the AED 41.9 billion (US$ 11.4 billion) recorded during the same period last year. This result was driven by improved seat load factors, tight control on capacity deployment, and the strengthening of currencies in Emirates’ key markets against the US dollar.

Emirates operating costs grew by 4% against the overall capacity increase of 2%. On average, fuel costs were 14% higher compared to the same period last year, this was largely due to an increase in oil prices (up 11% compared to same period last year), as well as an increase in fuel uplift of 3% due to Emirates’ expanding fleet operations. Fuel remained the largest component of the airline’s cost, accounting for 26% of operating costs compared with 24% in the first six months of last year.

dnata

dnata saw steady growth across its global businesses which now span 84 countries. In the first half of 2017-18, dnata’s international operations accounted for over 67% of its total revenue.

dnata’s revenue, including other operating income, is AED 6.3 billion (US$ 1.7 billion), a 7% increase compared to AED 5.9 billion (US$ 1.6 billion) last year. This performance was underpinned by robust organic business growth, particularly in its international airport operations business with its previous cargo and ground handling acquisitions contributing to the 2017-18 half year performance.

Overall profit for dnata is up by 20% to AED 659 million (US$ 180 million). This was driven by dnata’s continued focus on extracting operational, process and cost efficiencies across all business streams, and supported by strong performances from both its international and UAE airport operations divisions, with new customers won and the expansion of existing contracts.

dnata’s airport operations remained the largest contributor to revenue with AED 3.4 billion (US$ 922 million), a 9% increase compared to the same period last year. Across its operations, the number of aircraft handled by dnata increased by 11% to 330,317, and it handled 1.5 million tonnes of cargo, up 25%.

This reflects new customer contracts won across the network, and expansion to new locations such as Rio de Janeiro and Amsterdam (ground handling) as well as the overall upturn in global cargo volumes. In the first six months of 2017-18, dnata continued to strengthen its international footprint with the acquisition of AirLogistix USA marking its entry into the US cargo market and expanded its marhaba lounge product to new markets in Australia and Pakistan. Additionally, a new maintenance base was opened in Singapore and a new cargo facility was opened in Adelaide.

dnata’s travel division contributed AED 1.5 billion (US$ 420 million) to revenue, up 3% from the same period last year. The division’s underlying net sales remained stable at AED 5.5 billion (US$ 1.5 billion).

This was a good performance in the face of increased competition and a challenging landscape. dnata’s investment in technology has included rolling out Avaya to connect its contact centres globally, and a new proprietary booking system for Emirates Holidays. The division’s Middle East corporate business secured significant new accounts, and its newly launched bedbank – Yalago – began trading with third parties. Australia was a new market for cruise, and has already delivered a strong performance with growth continuing across this segment. dnata’s travel division continues to build a strong management team with key personnel changes geared to lead the business and extract synergies across its extensive portfolio of travel brands.

dnata’s flight catering operation, contributed AED 1.1 billion (US$ 298 million) to its total revenue, up 4%. The number of meals uplifted dropped 7% to 31.8 million meals for the first half of the financial year. The unit’s improved performances in Australia, Singapore, Romania and Czech Republic was dampened by key contracts lost in UK and Italy primarily from Alitalia and Monarch Airlines which ceased operations.

In the first six months of the year, dnata’s catering unit continued to win contracts from new customers and expand existing customer relationships. It also opened a new state-of-the-art kitchen in Melbourne, and invested to expand its capabilities in other value-added inflight services such as onboard retail.

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