As the UAE travel market recovers from recent regional challenges, the timing of a full return of international travellers to Dubai remains uncertain. Emirates Airline President Sir Tim Clark said the carrier continues to operate in a “very robust manner” while waiting for passenger confidence to return across key markets.
Speaking about the impact of the Iran war on travel demand at the ILA Berlin Air Show, Clark said government travel advisories continued to weigh on passenger confidence in some markets. “We now rely on governments to be less restrictive with regard to the warnings that they give to people about travelling across the Middle East.”
He said demand would return as confidence in travel across the region improves and travel advisories are gradually eased. “I think they will go over time. This isn’t going to go on forever.”
The airline is also considering measures beyond fare discounts to encourage passengers to return. “We will introduce all sorts of incentives other than price that will attract the passengers back to that,” Clark added.
Potential incentives under consideration include additional travel protection, family support measures and assistance with return journeys during periods of airspace disruption. This could include rebooking passengers on alternative carriers where necessary to help them reach their destinations.
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The airline executive also reiterated that Emirates has no plans to reduce services despite the ongoing disruption and remains prepared to adjust operations as conditions evolve. “There’s no way that we’re going to cut back or reduce anything,” he said. “We’re ready to really move quickly if it gets better, and we’ll also move if it goes south.”
According to Clark, Emirates is currently operating nearly 80% of its fleet and serving 96% of destinations across its network. “The stations, the airports that we fly to are now back in place in all the countries,” he said.
Despite the disruption, Clark said performance remains resilient. “And surprisingly we’re doing really well. Seat factor is about 70%, we’re cash positive.”
The airline was also recently named the Middle East’s best airline at the 2026 APEX Best in Airline Awards, based on passenger feedback covering areas including cabin service, seat comfort, WiFi and food and beverage. The Dubai carrier was additionally recognised for having the world’s best inflight entertainment through its ice platform.
Emirates Group reported profit before tax of AED24.4 billion (US$6.6 billion) for the year ended 31 March 2026, while Emirates posted AED22.8 billion (US$6.2 billion) in profit, the highest annual result in the airline’s history.
For more information, visit www.emirates.com