Emirates Group has surprised employees with a 20-week salary bonus on the back of record profits, far exceeding the 13-week payout initially linked to performance targets.
In a deeply emotional message to its employees, seen by Khaleej Times, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, expressed his gratitude.
“March 2026 will fade into memory, but we will never forget your bravery and incredible resilience,” he noted. “You were called upon during one of the most complex and challenging times in our history, and you showed up with commitment and passion. For that, I will remain forever grateful to you.”
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He also thanked the employees for being “the most extraordinary colleagues and partners any leader could wish for.” Despite the challenging times, Dubai’s flagship carrier, Emirates airline, retained its place as the world’s most profitable airline, posting record profit before tax.
Emirates broke ‘almost every financial record’
In his note, Sheikh Ahmed noted that the year was marked by two sharp contrasts. “In the first 11 months, we advanced our strategic priorities,” he wrote. “However, overnight from March 1, we were facing an unprecedented situation and fighting to restart our hub operations.”
He said that despite the challenging March, the company closed the year “breaking almost every financial record to date” and achieved an all-time high profit before tax and revenue, building “record level” cash reserves.
He acknowledged that even with the company’s “sophisticated contingency response plans”, the scale of safety and operational disruptions caused uncertainty. Sitting back was not an option. “Thousands of our customers in Dubai and our outstations relied on us to reach their homes, families and businesses, tackle emergencies and transport essential goods,” he said.
He commended the UAE leadership for their decisive action, prioritising the safety of travellers and residents. “With the creation of a safe air corridor, we marshalled our people and resources across Emirates and dnata to restart operations in a limited way,” he said. “Momentum returned. Our operations stabilised, and Emirates was flying 58 per cent of its capacity by 31 March. Our cargo teams at Emirates and dnata became overnight heroes as they worked tirelessly to ferry essential supplies across the UAE and the region.”
Dubai and Emirates will come back bigger, better
Sheikh Ahmed continued with hopes for the future and a response to critics: “To all critics who believe Dubai and the Emirates Group are in decline, we’ve heard this before and proved them wrong every time. We’re coming back bigger, better and bolder as we always do after a crisis.”
He acknowledged many challenges ahead, including unresolved regional conflict, supply chain issues, and rising fuel and insurance costs, but said Emirates was well-placed to overcome them. “There is a renewed sense of energy, pride in the city and optimism in its future,” he said. “Emirates will soon operate flight schedules as normal. We will continue to take delivery of aircraft on order and progress apace on the retrofit programme.”
He concluded by once again commending the employees. “I want you to believe in the collective future of Dubai and the Emirates Group,” he wrote. “Take confidence in our resilience and our ability to bounce back, no matter what. Above all, back yourself and continue to lead the way as the best professionals in the business.”
