Emirates is world's eighth largest carrier
BY ISSAC JOHN
27 April 2007
DUBAI â Emirates Airline has grown from a small operator of eight aircraft in 1990 to become the eighth largest international carrier in the world today with 102 aircraft and over 80 international destinations, Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman, Emirates Group said.
"I often get asked how it is possible Emirates can be so successful without subsidies or preferential treatment from the government," he said while releasing the Emirates Group's annual results. "There is no secret formula. We simply work hard, work smart, and have built our success on a sound and simple business model that focuses on growth, keeping unit costs low, and investing in innovations to keep ahead of the competition."
With the addition of 12 new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft during the financial year, Emirates' fleet reached 102 at the end of March, including nine freighters. The current fleet of all wide-bodied aircraft has an average age of 63 months â one of the youngest commercial fleet in the skies.
Airline sources said with the expected new order of more than 100 mid-sized aircraft, the Dubai-based carrier is on well on course to emerge as an industry leader boasting one of the youngest fleets in the world. Both Boeing and Airbus are in the race for the $24 billion prize order as the Dubai carrier reassesses its fleet plan and is yet to choose between Boeing 787 and A350 XWB.
Among the highlights of the year was Emirates' order for 10 Boeing 747-8 freighters worth Dh12.1 billion at the 2006 Farnborough Air Show. The airline also ordered five additional Boeing 777-300ERs from GECAS on operating leases to meet its capacity requirements due to the delayed delivery of the A380s.
This will bring its 777-300ER fleet size to 59 which, coupled with its existing 777 fleet and freighters, will place Emirates as the largest operator of the 777 by 2010. Emirates' current order book for 107 new aircraft is worth approximately Dh 111 billion in list prices. Over the next eight years, the airline will continue to receive delivery of one new aircraft per month on average.
During 2006-07, Emirates launched passenger services to four new cities â Bangalore, Beijing, Nagoya, and Tunis â bringing the network total to 89 destinations. In addition, it increased the frequency of passenger services to existing destinations, notably a second daily service to Zurich and Dusseldorf, along with a third daily flight to New York via Hamburg.
Passenger seat factor increased to 76.2 per cent from 75.9 per cent the previous year. Traffic increased by 21.6 per cent to 12,643 million tonne-kilometres, and keeping pace with a capacity increase of 22.9 per cent to 19,414 million tonne-kilometres. Breakeven load factor remained relatively low and improved marginally to 59.9 per cent from 60.2 per cent last year, while yield improved for the fifth consecutive year, to 216 fils per RTKM (Revenue Tonne Kilometre), up from 203 fils in 2005-06.
Over the past 12 months, nine new Emirates Lounges were opened at airports in key points across the airline's network during the year, bringing to 18 the total number of world-class lounges dedicated to Emirates' First and Business class customers and eligible frequent fliers. To date, the airline has invested Dh134 million in its lounge product, with another Dh49 million ($13 million) earmarked for 10 more Emirates Lounges in the financial year 2007-08.
Emirates SkyCargo recorded strong growth across its network to carry 1.2 million tonnes of cargo, surpassing its record of one million tonnes of cargo carried last year by 13.5 per cent. The division's revenue of Dh5.4 billion was Dh 874 million or 19 per cent higher than the year before, and contributed 20 per cent to the airline's transport revenue, one of the highest contributions of any airline in the world with a similar fleet make-up.
In addition to the 10 Boeing 747-8 freighters ordered at the Farnborough Air Show, the division has signed a wet-lease agreement with TNT Airways S.A for a Boeing 747-400ERF commencing operations in May 2007, and another two aircraft of the same type from Guggenheim Aviation on dry-lease. The latter two aircraft will enter service in August 2007 and May 2008. Scheduled freighters now operate to 29 destinations. In all, Emirates SkyCargo carries freight in 102 aircraft, including nine freighters, to 89 cities.
Dnata recorded a solid performance with revenue growth of 16.5 per cent to Dh2.1 billion compared with Dh1.8 billion. Dnata's profits of Dh360 million represent an increase of 11 per cent compared to last year's Dh324 million.
In its 48th year of operation, Dnata remains at the heart of the rapid traffic growth at Dubai International Airport, handling a record 30 million passengers (up 17.2 per cent), 110,000 aircraft (up eight per cent) and 535,132 tonnes of cargo (up six per cent) during the 2006-07 fiscal year. Its corporate and retail travel arm, Dnata Agencies, also reported a 37 per cent increase in turnover, repositioned its retail brand Dnata Holidays to focus on luxury travellers, and celebrated its 40th year as GSA for seven airlines while welcoming three new airline customers.
As of March 31, 2007, the Group employed 30,344 people, up 13 per cent from a year before. In the past 12 months, Emirates has been receiving 60 new cabin crew recruits each week on average, and now has over 8,000 cabin crew representing more than 100 nationalities. Its 1,667 captains and first officers represent over 75 nationalities.
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BY ISSAC JOHN
27 April 2007
DUBAI â Emirates Airline has grown from a small operator of eight aircraft in 1990 to become the eighth largest international carrier in the world today with 102 aircraft and over 80 international destinations, Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman, Emirates Group said.
"I often get asked how it is possible Emirates can be so successful without subsidies or preferential treatment from the government," he said while releasing the Emirates Group's annual results. "There is no secret formula. We simply work hard, work smart, and have built our success on a sound and simple business model that focuses on growth, keeping unit costs low, and investing in innovations to keep ahead of the competition."
With the addition of 12 new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft during the financial year, Emirates' fleet reached 102 at the end of March, including nine freighters. The current fleet of all wide-bodied aircraft has an average age of 63 months â one of the youngest commercial fleet in the skies.
Airline sources said with the expected new order of more than 100 mid-sized aircraft, the Dubai-based carrier is on well on course to emerge as an industry leader boasting one of the youngest fleets in the world. Both Boeing and Airbus are in the race for the $24 billion prize order as the Dubai carrier reassesses its fleet plan and is yet to choose between Boeing 787 and A350 XWB.
Among the highlights of the year was Emirates' order for 10 Boeing 747-8 freighters worth Dh12.1 billion at the 2006 Farnborough Air Show. The airline also ordered five additional Boeing 777-300ERs from GECAS on operating leases to meet its capacity requirements due to the delayed delivery of the A380s.
This will bring its 777-300ER fleet size to 59 which, coupled with its existing 777 fleet and freighters, will place Emirates as the largest operator of the 777 by 2010. Emirates' current order book for 107 new aircraft is worth approximately Dh 111 billion in list prices. Over the next eight years, the airline will continue to receive delivery of one new aircraft per month on average.
During 2006-07, Emirates launched passenger services to four new cities â Bangalore, Beijing, Nagoya, and Tunis â bringing the network total to 89 destinations. In addition, it increased the frequency of passenger services to existing destinations, notably a second daily service to Zurich and Dusseldorf, along with a third daily flight to New York via Hamburg.
Passenger seat factor increased to 76.2 per cent from 75.9 per cent the previous year. Traffic increased by 21.6 per cent to 12,643 million tonne-kilometres, and keeping pace with a capacity increase of 22.9 per cent to 19,414 million tonne-kilometres. Breakeven load factor remained relatively low and improved marginally to 59.9 per cent from 60.2 per cent last year, while yield improved for the fifth consecutive year, to 216 fils per RTKM (Revenue Tonne Kilometre), up from 203 fils in 2005-06.
Over the past 12 months, nine new Emirates Lounges were opened at airports in key points across the airline's network during the year, bringing to 18 the total number of world-class lounges dedicated to Emirates' First and Business class customers and eligible frequent fliers. To date, the airline has invested Dh134 million in its lounge product, with another Dh49 million ($13 million) earmarked for 10 more Emirates Lounges in the financial year 2007-08.
Emirates SkyCargo recorded strong growth across its network to carry 1.2 million tonnes of cargo, surpassing its record of one million tonnes of cargo carried last year by 13.5 per cent. The division's revenue of Dh5.4 billion was Dh 874 million or 19 per cent higher than the year before, and contributed 20 per cent to the airline's transport revenue, one of the highest contributions of any airline in the world with a similar fleet make-up.
In addition to the 10 Boeing 747-8 freighters ordered at the Farnborough Air Show, the division has signed a wet-lease agreement with TNT Airways S.A for a Boeing 747-400ERF commencing operations in May 2007, and another two aircraft of the same type from Guggenheim Aviation on dry-lease. The latter two aircraft will enter service in August 2007 and May 2008. Scheduled freighters now operate to 29 destinations. In all, Emirates SkyCargo carries freight in 102 aircraft, including nine freighters, to 89 cities.
Dnata recorded a solid performance with revenue growth of 16.5 per cent to Dh2.1 billion compared with Dh1.8 billion. Dnata's profits of Dh360 million represent an increase of 11 per cent compared to last year's Dh324 million.
In its 48th year of operation, Dnata remains at the heart of the rapid traffic growth at Dubai International Airport, handling a record 30 million passengers (up 17.2 per cent), 110,000 aircraft (up eight per cent) and 535,132 tonnes of cargo (up six per cent) during the 2006-07 fiscal year. Its corporate and retail travel arm, Dnata Agencies, also reported a 37 per cent increase in turnover, repositioned its retail brand Dnata Holidays to focus on luxury travellers, and celebrated its 40th year as GSA for seven airlines while welcoming three new airline customers.
As of March 31, 2007, the Group employed 30,344 people, up 13 per cent from a year before. In the past 12 months, Emirates has been receiving 60 new cabin crew recruits each week on average, and now has over 8,000 cabin crew representing more than 100 nationalities. Its 1,667 captains and first officers represent over 75 nationalities.
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