Emirates’ Tim Clark warns European Airlines on Mideast comeback

Emirates President Tim Clark lashed out at European rivals, saying it was a “little bit sad” to see them taking advantage of their Middle Eastern counterparts’ current weakness.

Emirates, alongside Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, was forced to cut back operations since the start of the conflict with Iran, amid airspace closures, drone strikes on airport infrastructure and a dramatic reduction in inbound tourism to the Gulf. Some airlines, including German flag carrier Lufthansa, have used the opening to push for more capacity in Asia.

“My message to all of them: Be careful what you wish for, we will be back very hard and fast,” Clark told journalists ahead of the ILA Berlin air show, adding that Emirates had “no intention of cutting back, reducing or anything else.” 

Despite facing challenges from the conflict, Emirates has a ready supply of jet fuel in the UAE, giving it a significant advantage over many global airlines amid soaring oil prices driven by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. 

Clark also made a plea for “free and open access” to more European markets, including Berlin, where Emirates has long sought to be granted a slot.

“We have brought enormous economic wealth to Germany just by virtue of what we’ve bought… We have very compelling reasons to be allowed to go to Berlin,” he said.

Emirates will soon face a new rival closer to home. Riyadh Air, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, will operate its first commercial flight, bringing forward the launch of its London route, after it received its third Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on Sunday.

Emirates’ Clark sees profitable future once Gulf crisis subsides

Emirates boss Tim Clark said he expects the carrier to become the “most profitable airline” in the world by the end of this year, despite disruptions from the Iran war, pointing to its history of restoring operations quickly and a ready supply of jet fuel.

“What we have found is that whenever we’ve been through these traumas before, the strength of demand [remains] so strong,” Clark said in an address to the the Centre for Aviation’s Airline Leader Summit in Berlin on Thursday.

He added that Emirates had “earned our skills” more than any other because “We’ve been subjected to all sorts of things over the last 20 to 30 years.”

Clark’s bold tone amid a growing crisis in the global aviation sector can partly be explained by Emirates’ ability to access the UAE’s plentiful fuel supply, giving it a competitive edge over many airlines in Europe and Asia, which are facing shortages.

“Frankly, we’re not that concerned, [as] we’ve got adequate supplies over here [in the UAE]. We produce and refine our own Jet A-1 fuel,” Clark said.

Emirates is now operating at more than 65% of its capacity and Clark said it would only take one to two months to restore operations to normal once the conflict was resolved.

He said the airline continued to refine its offerings and was working on upgrades to First Class cabins, including adding ensuite bathrooms.

UAE imposes entry ban on Iranians – but with exceptions

The UAE has issued an advisory banning Iranian nationals from entering or transiting through the country, with a few exceptions.

The restrictions come amid heightened tensions from the Iran war, with airlines and travel advisories adjusting policies rapidly.

Emirates airline said that those who have a Golden Visa, are married to UAE nationals or born to an Emirati woman will be allowed in, as well as athletes, bank executives, doctors, families, engineers, investors, senior professionals or traders.

The UAE, a key global aviation hub, serves as a major transit point for international travelers, meaning that restrictions on certain nationalities can ripple across regional travel and airline operations.

Travelers are urged to review the latest entry requirements before booking or flying, as rules may change rapidly due to regional developments, the airline said. 

Mideast airlines resume flights after Iran-Israel truce secured

After bracing for a prolonged period of flight disruptions, Middle East airlines started to resume their full schedules with the advent of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire to the Iran-Israel war.

Airports in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait began to resume full operations today, while international carriers were assessing when they could safely restore regular flights.

The truce was secured hours after Iran fired missiles at the Al Udeid U.S. air base in Qatar. The missiles were intercepted without causing damage or injuries.

The break in the 12-day war prompted shares of European airlines to surge on Tuesday, with Deutsche Lufthansa, Ryanair Holdings and British Airways owner IAG all rising 4% or more, Bloomberg reports.

Air France-KLM surged 10% in Paris, and Turkish Airlines advanced 6.7% in Istanbul.

Oil prices fell, meanwhile, and stocks gained amid cautious optimism that the ceasefire negotiated by the Trump administration may bring a resolution to the conflict.

The benchmark Brent crude fell 3.5% to $69 a barrel today, retreating from five-month highs after the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday.

S&P 500 futures rose 0.8%, signaling a second day of gains for the U.S. index, Reuters reports. European stocks advanced 1.3%, while a gauge for Asian shares headed for its biggest gain in more than a month.

Airline execs descend on Dubai for IATA annual meeting

Over 1,500 airline executives will descend on Dubai, the world’s busiest international travel hub, this weekend, for the annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association.

The industry trade organization, which represents more than 300 airlines and over 80% of global air traffic, expects to grapple with airline chiefs’ biggest challenges over the three-day gathering.

At the top of the agenda are aircraft shortages, geopolitical tensions and carbon reduction strategies as declining airfares spell out a muted outlook for carriers.

The 80th IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit, hosted by Emirates Airline, will run from Sunday, June 2 through Tuesday, June 4, and is for the first time taking place in the UAE.

Expected to attend are CEOs including Vanessa Hudson of Qantas; Tim Clark of Emirates Airline; Scott Kirby, of United Airlines and Shai Weiss of Virgin Atlantic Airways.

Aviation is a linchpin of Dubai’s economic ambitions: the industry contributed 27% to the emirate’s GDP and supported $37 billion in gross value added in 2023.

That is projected to increase to $53 billion in 2030, in line with Dubai’s growth forecast, according to Oxford Economics.