Speaking on the sidelines about FlyDubai’s order announcement for 50 Boeing 737-800s on Monday, Emirates Airline deputy chairman Maurice Flanagan made it clear that his airline hasn’t suffered from the business woes about which other airlines are complaining. “There has been no downturn whatsoever,” said Flanagan here at Farnborough. “We have exceeded our revenue forecast. It is an exciting situation.”
The operator has been one of the world’s most successful since its establishment in 1985. Contrary to what it sees as popular misconception, the airline claims to receive no subsidy from its government owner; rather, it was famously given a couple of aircraft, some seed capital, and told not to came back for more. Apart from its second year of business, Emirates has always been profitable–a status to which local competitors such as Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways continue to aspire as they invest heavily to promote business and tourism and establish appropriate infrastructure.
