Airlines
Emirates Reports First Half-year Loss in 30 Years
Dubai’s flag carrier lost $3.8 billion during the six months ending September 30.
From April 1 to September 30 Emirates managed to uplift 65 percent of the cargo volumes it carried during the same period last year despite a sharp reduction in belly capacity. (Photo: Emirates Airline)
From April 1 to September 30 Emirates managed to uplift 65 percent of the cargo volumes it carried during the same period last year despite a sharp reduction in belly capacity. (Photo: Emirates Airline)

A $3.8 billion half-year net loss reported by Dubai’s Emirates Airline on Thursday marked the first negative result the state-owned carrier acknowledged in more than 30 years. The airline attributed the loss directly to the Covid-19 crisis, during which time it ceased passenger operations for two months and carried just 1.5 million passengers from April 1 to September 30. Capacity measured in available seat kilometers shrunk by 91 percent while passenger traffic measured in revenue passenger kilometers fell 96 percent. Load factors averaged 38.6 percent, compared with 81.1 percent during the same period last year.