'Emirates Airlines flights continue operation even in dire circumstances'

While several European and US carriers, which had long association with Pakistan, rolled back their operations over the past decade or so, considering the country a bad market and uncertain law and order situation, the national carrier of Dubai, Emirates, reads the entire situation differently.
The vibrant Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, West Asia & Indian Ocean, of Emirates, Majid Al Mualla, radiating lot of confidence, told Business Recorder here on Saturday: "Pakistan is a good market; has plenty of potential; and Emirates looks forward to expand and increase the frequency of its flights to and from Pakistan in future." Also present during the hour-long interview were Badr Abbas, Vice-President, Pakistan, and Ms Siobhan Barder, Public Relations Manager, Corporate Communications.
In a sonorous diction, he spoke about the close relations between the UAE and Pakistan, particularly in the field of aviation, and expressed hope that, law and order situation notwithstanding, Emirates would like to grow in Pakistan and serve the people by offering comfortable flights to Pakistani travellers to Dubai and points beyond.
He said that at present Emirates operates 39 flights weekly--four daily flights from Dubai to Karachi and back, and weekly flights two between Dubai-Peshawar and back, four Dubai-Lahore and back and five Dubai-Islamabad and back. "Since Emirates has achieved 80 percent load factor on these flights, it is time that we increase the frequency, particularly from the Northern areas," he said, adding that "we carried 975,000 people from Pakistan last year". He said that although Emirates is in negotiations with Pakistani authorities on the issue for the last 10 years but has not received any positive response so far. The airline is ready to increase the frequency of its services from Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar the moment it would receive Government of Pakistan's approval.
Majid Al Mualla proudly mentioned the fact that whereas airlines suspend their services during emergencies and bad law and order situation, Emirates is the only airline which does not stop or suspend its flights under such circumstances. In this connection, he mentioned the bomb blast at Peshawar airport some time back which did not deter Emirates from operating its flights according to schedule. "We are not scared as our considerations are different. We serve the people, no matter what the situation or circumstances are," he said.
He regretted that whereas the Emirates operates 184 flights a week to India it is operating only 39 flights to Pakistan. "We are keen; we are anxious. Let the permission come and we will be there." He even said that Emirates would like to bring its latest addition A350-800 to Pakistan but to receive that giant aircraft runways here have to be upgraded.
He said that Dubai has made big strides in aviation in the world and its dimensions could be judged from the fact that 150 foreign airlines have their offices in Dubai which is today one of the busiest airports of the world.
The Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, West Asia & Indian Ocean said that out of 1.6 million population of Dubai 82 percent are expatriates. Emirates employs 3000 Pakistanis, including over 100 in cabin crews. Its Karachi office alone has 300 employees, he added.
Majid Al Mualla, an aviation buff, had no inhibition in recalling the birth of Emirates with two leased aircraft from Pakistan International Airlines. Today, it stands up alongside any five-star airline of the world. "This has been made possible only with dedication, involvement and hard work put in by its employees," he said. About the growth of Emirates Group, he said that the net profit, which was $325 million in 2008-09, shot up to $1.1 billion in 2009-10.
The airline's net profit went up to $964 million in 2009-10 from $187 million in 2008-09 and Danata net profit went up to $167 million from $138 million during the same period. Emirates serves 109 destinations in 65 countries. The airline had 153 aircraft of different makes, as of December 2010, and on order are another 200 aircraft, worth over $68 billion. The number of employees at the end of financial year 2009-10 stood at Emirates Group: 49,950. Emirates 36,652 and Danata 13,298.