Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, said the carrier has recovered approximately 91% of its pre-crisis operating capacity and that its revenues last week exceeded those recorded during the same period in 2025. This comes despite challenges arising from regional tensions, airspace closures and rising fuel prices.
Speaking at the Routes World 2026 conference in Frankfurt, Clark said demand for travel across most destinations in Emirates' global network remains strong. He expressed confidence that travel demand will recover further once regional tensions ease and stability returns to the aviation sector.
Clark said: “If it weren't for the higher fuel costs, we would be ahead of last year's results,” noting that the company's revenues last week surpassed those of the same period in 2025, the year Emirates recorded its highest-ever profits.
He added that strong demand for the airline’s services reflects travellers’ continued desire to fly across its global network despite the exceptional circumstances affecting the region.
Emirates’ operational and commercial performance comes at a time when the regional aviation sector is facing significant challenges. Data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) showed a 14.2 per cent decline in international travel demand for Middle Eastern airlines in August compared with the same period last year.
Addressing crises
Clark said Emirates has extensive experience navigating geopolitical and economic crises since its launch in 1985 during the Iran-Iraq War. He said these experiences helped build an operational model capable of adapting to regional and international changes.
“We started Emirates in 1985, in the midst of the Iran-Iraq War, and at that time we were witnessing ships being bombed off the coast of Dubai and the UAE,” he said.
He explained that these circumstances contributed to establishing an approach based on risk management and proactive planning, reflecting Dubai’s role as a global hub connecting markets and continents.
Clark added that crises differ in nature and causes, but their impact on the aviation industry is often similar. He noted that travel demand has consistently shown an ability to recover following major disruptions, including the global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Exceptional measures
Clark stressed that the safety of passengers, aircraft and crew remains Emirates’ top priority, even when precautionary measures result in additional operational costs.
He explained that the airline used its operations control centre to reposition aircraft and keep some flights at different locations across its global network. Emirates also carried additional fuel reserves to allow aircraft to return to their departure airports if necessary.
For example, some flights between Paris and Dubai carried enough reserve fuel to return to Paris rather than continue into potentially unsafe airspace.
“I told the teams not to worry about the additional fuel costs, as my priority is the safety of the aircraft and the people,” Clark said, stressing that financial considerations are secondary when operational safety is concerned.
Regarding fuel prices, Clark said high oil prices remain a significant challenge for Emirates, particularly as some flights are required to take longer routes and carry additional fuel reserves for emergencies. However, he noted that the airline had previously operated during periods when oil prices reached $140 a barrel.
“Dubai is operating completely normally, and Emirates is performing exceptionally well in its operations,” he said.
As part of efforts to reassure passengers concerned about being stranded abroad, Emirates introduced additional safeguards that Clark described as “insurance” for travellers. These measures include extending hotel stays and arranging return travel to passengers’ home countries if disruptions affect their travel plans.
Clark said these steps have helped restore confidence among leisure travellers, while demand from Asian markets, including China, has remained particularly strong.
“Demand in the various travel sectors where we traditionally operate remains strong,” he said.
Clark expressed optimism about a new wave of travel growth once tensions subside, with travellers who postponed their trips expected to return to the market.
Airbus: Geography strengthens Gulf airlines' resilience
Speaking at the Routes World conference, Grinne van den Berg, Vice President and Head of Commercial Airplane Sales for the Middle East at Airbus, said the region’s strategic location and global air connectivity enhance the resilience of Gulf airlines.
She explained that the Gulf’s eight-hour flight radius provides access to around 80 per cent of the world’s population, linking established European markets with fast-growing population centres in South Asia and Africa, as well as major commercial hubs across Asia.
Van den Berg said aviation hubs such as Dubai and Doha play a vital role in connecting secondary cities across continents, creating travel flows that may not be commercially viable through direct flights alone.
She added that Middle East airspace closures have increased flight times by between 45 and 90 minutes, resulting in higher fuel consumption, lower aircraft utilisation and, in some cases, making certain routes commercially unviable.
The Airbus executive said maintaining operational flexibility will become even more important in the coming period as airlines adapt to any further airspace restrictions and shifts in travel demand.