Both Emirates and dnata contributed record revenues in 2024-25, as the Group expanded its operations around the world to meet voracious customer demand for its high-quality products and services.

For the financial year ended 31 March 2025, the Emirates Group reported:

• record profit before tax of AED 22.7 billion (US$ 6.2 billion), up 18% from last year
• record revenue of AED 145.4 billion (US$ 39.6 billion), up 6% over last year’s results
• record level of cash assets at AED 53.4 billion (US$ 14.6 billion), up 13% from last year
• highest-ever EBITDA of AED 42.2 billion (US$ 11.5 billion), up 6%, demonstrating its strong operating profitability

Emirates earns its place as the world’s most profitable airline, reporting:

• record profit before tax of AED 21.2 billion (US$ 5.8 billion), up 20% from last year
• record revenue of AED 127.9 billion (US$ 34.9 billion), an increase of 6% over last year
• highest-ever level of cash assets at AED 49.7 billion (US$ 13.5 billion), 16% higher compared to 31 March 2024.   

dnata delivered solid growth and performance across its business units, reporting:

• record profit before tax of AED 1.6 billion (US$ 430 million), up 2% from last year
• record revenue of AED 21.1 billion (US$ 5.8 billion), up 10%
• strong cash assets of AED 3.7 billion (US$ 1.0 billion).

The Group declares a dividend of AED 6.0 billion (US$ 1.6 billion) to its owner, the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD). 

This is the first financial year that the UAE corporate tax, enacted in 2023, is applied to the Emirates Group. After accounting for the 9% tax charge, the Group’s profit after tax is AED 20.5 billion (US$ 5.6 billion).

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates airline and Group said: “It is no accident that Dubai has produced hugely successful global aviation entities including Emirates and dnata. Dubai’s aviation sector has become an influential force on the global stage thanks to visionary leaders, strategic planning, co-ordinated execution, and strong support from our customers, business partners, and all the people of Dubai. 

“When the government set up Emirates 40 years ago and we began expanding dnata’s capabilities to support the city’s growth, we had a clear mission - be the best at what we do; and deliver value to Dubai, our stakeholders, and the communities we serve.

“With that in mind, we’ve kept a laser focus on providing great products and services, and we continually invest in technology and talent to increase our competitive edge. We look after our people and our customers, and we work hard to positively impact our communities. We don’t cut corners, and we don’t take shortcuts that put our future at risk for short term gains. By building our business models around these principles and Dubai’s unique strengths, the Emirates Group has thrived and stayed resilient through geo-political and socio-economic challenges over the years.”

HH Sheikh Ahmed added: “For 2024-25, the Emirates Group has raised the bar to set new records for profit, revenue, and cash assets. Through the year, Emirates and dnata were able to move quickly to meet the strong demand for air transport services across markets and win over customers - thanks to our non-stop investments in our people, in building partnerships, and in delivering great products and services.

“I’d like to thank our amazing people at the Emirates Group for achieving another record year, and our customers and partners for their trust and support. My gratitude to Dubai’s visionary leaders HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and his sons HH Sheikh Hamdan and HH Sheikh Maktoum, for their continued leadership and stewardship of Dubai’s strategy, in which the Emirates Group is proud to play a key role.”

In 2024-25, the Group collectively invested AED 14.0 billion (US$ 3.8 billion) in new aircraft, facilities, equipment, companies, and the latest technologies to support its growth plans.

The Group’s total workforce grew by 9% to 121,223 employees, its largest size ever, as Emirates and dnata continued recruitment activity around the world to support its expanding operations and boost its future capabilities.

Commenting on the outlook for 2025-26, Sheikh Ahmed said: “We enter the year ahead with excitement and optimism. Our excellent financial standing enables us to continue building on and scaling up from our successful business models. While some markets are jittery about trade and travel restrictions, volatility is not new in our industry. We simply adapt and navigate around these challenges.  

“Emirates will strengthen our network connectivity with the expected delivery of 16 A350s and 4 Boeing 777 freighters in 2025-26, providing much-needed capacity to meet customer demand. Our retrofit programme will continue apace to provide our customers the latest Emirates products and a more consistent experience across our A380, 777 and A350 fleet.

“dnata is on a steady growth path with facility investments coming to fruition in key markets, including the opening of new facilities in Amsterdam, Dubai and Erbil next year which will significantly expand our cargo handling capacity and capabilities.  

“Work is already underway at the new Al Maktoum International airport (DWC) and broader development around Dubai South. Our planning teams are working closely with Dubai airports and other entities to design and deliver the future of aviation and the best possible travel experiences. 

“We’ve set high targets for ourselves, but I am confident that our talented workforce and Dubai’s winning formula will empower the Emirates Group to forge an even brighter future, and deliver even more value to the people, cities and communities we serve.”  

Emirates performance

Emirates’ total passenger and cargo capacity grew 4% to 60.0 billion ATKMs in 2024-25, recovering to near pre-pandemic levels.

During the year, Emirates launched two new destinations - Bogotá and Madagascar; restarted flights to Phnom Penh, Lagos, Adelaide and Edinburgh; and strengthened services to 21 other destinations to meet rising demand. By 31 March, Emirates served 148 cities in 80 countries and territories. Emirates also grew its partnerships to 33 codeshare and 118 interline partners, providing customers smooth access to over 1,750 cities beyond its network.  

The first Airbus A350 aircraft joined Emirates’ fleet this year, bringing added capacity for the airline to serve customer demand with its latest products, including the popular Premium Economy Class and a new-generation inflight entertainment system. By 31 March, Emirates had 4 A350s in its fleet flying to Edinburgh, Ahmedabad, Bahrain, Colombo, Kuwait and Mumbai.  

With ongoing delays in new aircraft deliveries, Emirates added 99 more aircraft to its retrofit programme which will now see 219 aircraft go through a full cabin refresh at a total investment of US$ 5.0 billion. At 31 March, Emirates’ order book had 314 aircraft pending delivery, including 61 A350s, 205 Boeing 777x, 35 787s, and 13 777Fs.

Total fleet count at the end of March was 260 units, with an average fleet age of 10.7 years. 

By strategically deploying capacity to serve surging demand across markets, Emirates’ total revenue for the financial year increased 6% to AED 127.9 billion (US$ 34.9 billion). Currency fluctuations and devaluations in some of the airline’s major markets negatively impacted the airline’s profitability by AED 718 million (US$ 196 million).

Emirates saw a record operating cash flow of AED 40.8 billion (US$ 11.1 billion) in 2024-25, which reflects its strong commercial performance and enables the airline to grow the business going forward.

Total operating costs increased by 4% from last financial year. Fuel and employee cost were the airline’s two biggest cost components in 2024-25, followed by cost of ownership (depreciation and amortisation). Fuel accounted for 31% of operating costs compared to 34% in 2023-24. The airline’s fuel bill decreased slightly to AED 32.6 billion (US$ 8.9 billion) compared to AED 34.2 billion (US$ 9.3 billion) the previous year, as lower average fuel price (down 10%) including hedging gains offset a higher uplift of 5% from increased flying.

With robust appetite for travel across customer segments, the strength of its global network, and strong customer preference for its products, Emirates hit a new record profit after tax of AED 19.1 billion (US$ 5.2 billion), outstripping last year’s AED 17.2 billion (US$ 4.7 billion) result with an exceptional profit margin of 14.9%. This is the best performance in the airline’s history, and in the airline industry for the reporting year 2024-25.

Emirates carried 53.7 million passengers (up 3%) in 2024-25, with seat capacity up by 4%. The airline reports a Passenger Seat Factor of 78.9%, a marginal decline from 79.9% last year. Passenger yield remained consistent at 36.6 fils (10.0 US cents) per Revenue Passenger Kilometre (RPKM).  

Emirates continued to invest in delivering ever better customer experiences. In addition to a range of inflight service enhancements in 2024-25, Emirates invested AED 63 million in its lounge product, opening two new lounges at London Stansted and Jeddah to bring the total number of dedicated Emirates Lounges globally to 41; and renovated existing facilities in Bangkok and Paris. This is part of a long-standing strategy to provide premium customers with signature experiences at key stations across the network, not only at its hub. The airline also launched its Emirates Chauffeur-Drive Service to Riyadh, expanding this signature service to over 70 cities. 

Emirates World, its premium travel retail store, opened in 8 global cities at an investment of AED 34 million, providing a bespoke environment for specialist consultants to serve more customers in person, in their communities. 

Emirates SkyCargo delivered an outstanding year, carrying 2.3 million tonnes of goods around the world, up 7% from the previous year as the delivery of 2 new Boeing 777 freighters and 2 wet-leased 747 freighters unlocked capacity to serve surging demand for air transport.

Ably navigating the ongoing challenges in global logistics, the cargo division reported a solid revenue of AED 16.1 billion (US$ 4.4 billion), contributing 13% to Emirates’ total revenue. Cargo yield per Freight Tonne Kilometre (FTKM) increased by 10%, returning to pre-pandemic marketplace levels.  

This strong performance reflects Emirates SkyCargo’s ability to win customer preference and serve demand with its specialist logistics solutions, the power and connectivity of Emirates’ global network, Dubai’s world-class intermodal logistics capabilities, and the airline’s ongoing investments in digital technology, infrastructure, and tailored products.

During the year, Emirates added Copenhagen to its freighter network and signed an MoU with Astral Aviation to expand its reach in Africa. Emirates Delivers, an e-Commerce delivery solution, was launched in Saudi Arabia to connect local shoppers with online retailers in the US and UK. As part of its ongoing digitisation push, our cargo division launched eQuote, a digital ‘self-service’ touchpoint that enables customers in 75 countries to request and manage spot quotations anytime, anywhere. 

Emirates placed orders for 10 more Boeing 777Fs, a significant investment to strengthen its cargo division’s position at the centre of global trade and logistics. Emirates SkyCargo has 13 freighters on order and expects to operate a fleet of 21 freighters by December 2026.  

At the end of March, Emirates’ SkyCargo’s total freighter fleet stood at 10 Boeing 777Fs.

Under Emirates Group companies and subsidiaries, Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC) and MMI/Emirates Leisure Retail (ELR) reported notable results in 2024-25.

EKFC grew revenue from external customers by 11% to AED 1.1 billion (US$ 293 million), uplifting 15.4 million meals during 2024-25 for its 114 airline customers in Dubai. It committed AED 160 million to expand Linencraft’s facility to handle 400 tonnes of laundry per day by 2026, cementing its place as the region’s leading laundry services provider. EKFC also launched its gourmet B2C offering, Foodcraft, to consumers in the UAE. 

MMI/ELR posted solid results with revenue growing 6% to AED 3.1 billion (US$ 847 million). During the year, both businesses saw strong customer demand across their portfolio, and extended their footprint with F&B and retail stores opening in 22 new locations, including MMI’s first retail outlet in Sri Lanka.  

With a strong cash balance and operating cash flow, Emirates fully met all contracted obligations during 2024-25, including aircraft pre-delivery payments and financing liabilities as they become due, utilising our cash reserves which stood at AED 49.7 billion as of 31 March.

Emirates also fully repaid its US$ 750 million Corporate Bond which was issued in 2013 with a 12-year term. Listed on the Irish Stock Exchange, this bond was the first senior unsecured amortising bond issued by an airline, and the airline’s diligence in honouring the payment schedule further enhances its credit worthiness in global financial markets. 

During the year, Emirates continued to deploy simple forward contracts to hedge against Brent crude oil and refining margins; and used long-term interest rate hedges to mitigate the impact of interest rate fluctuations. With significant currency exposure due to its global presence, Emirates continued to manage foreign exchange rate risk through currency options, forward contracts, and natural hedges. Its systematic approach improved cash flow predictability against volatile market shifts, reinforcing financial stability. In 2024-25, the airline’s risk management programme generated savings of AED 1.1 billion (US$ 287 million).

dnata performance

dnata increased its profit before tax by 2% to AED 1.6 billion (US$ 430 million) in 2024-25, with all business divisions reporting a solid performance, and notable contributions from its airport operations and catering and retail divisions.

dnata's total revenue increased by 10% to hit a new record of AED 21.1 billion (US$ 5.8 billion), driven by increased flight and travel activity across the world, particularly in its major markets: Australia, Europe, the UAE, UK, and US.

dnata’s international businesses account for 75% of its revenue, unchanged from the previous year.

Expanding its capabilities and capacity to meet customer needs and its future growth ambitions, dnata’s investments in 2024-25 amounted to AED 579 million (US$ 158 million). Significant investments during the year included: new electric and hybrid ground support equipment for its airport operations as part of its environmental strategy, new catering facilities in Australia, and new cargo facilities in the UAE.

In 2024-25, dnata’s operating costs increased by 10% to AED 19.7 billion (US$ 5.4 billion), in line with expanded operations in its Airport Operations, Catering & Retail, and Travel divisions.

dnata’s cash balance declined by AED 468 million to AED 3.7 billion (US$ 1.0 billion), primarily due to dividend payments to its owner, ICD; plus the funding of investments and debt repayments. The business saw a positive operating cash flow of AED 2.7 billion (US$ 735 million) in 2024-25, reflecting the substantial improvements in revenue.

Revenue from dnata’s Airport Operations, including ground and cargo handling increased to AED 9.9 billion (US$ 2.7 billion).

The number of aircraft turns handled by dnata globally grew by 2% to 794,091; and cargo handled increased by 9% to 3.1 million tonnes, reflecting new contracts won, and increased flight activity by dnata’s airline customers across markets.

This year, dnata’s Airport Operations division launched operations at Rome Fiumicino Airport, after it acquired the remaining 30% stake in Airport Handling to secure full ownership of the Italian ground services provider. Supporting nearly 70,000 flights annually for 22 airline customers, dnata’s new Rome operations nearly doubles its presence in Italy which also includes ground handling teams at two airports in Milan – Malpensa and Linate. During 2024-25, dnata also won a seven-year renewal of its operating licenses in Zürich and Brussels; and added Raleigh-Durham International Airport to its international airport operations network.  

On the cargo front, dnata made significant investments to meet growing global demand. In Dubai, dnata Logistics broke ground on a 57,000 m² warehouse in Dubai South, a US$ 27 million investment that will support Dubai’s continued growth as a global logistics hub. In Zürich, dnata’s exclusive lease agreement will see it operate the airport authority’s new, advanced warehouse when it opens in early 2027.  

dnata’s Catering & Retail business accounted for AED 7.1 billion (US$ 1.9 billion) of dnata’s revenue, up by 10%. The inflight catering business uplifted 114.0 million meals to airline customers, a 2% decline from last year. During 2024-25, dnata optimised and refocussed its service portfolio on strategic customer segments.

Key customer wins in 2024-25 include: long-term contracts secured with Etihad Airways and British Airways in the USA; and the long-term extension of an agreement for dnata to manage Jordan Flight Catering Company Ltd which delivers world-class culinary services to over 30 airlines in Amman. 

Major investments during the year include an AU$ 17 million inflight catering centre at the new Western Sydney International Airport and an expansion at Melbourne Airport to increase production capacity to 25 million meals annually. Both facilities are set to open in 2026.  

Revenue from dnata’s Travel Services division grew by 11% to AED 3.9 billion (US$ 1.1 billion), with strong contributions from its UK travel business and Imagine Cruising, its cruise holidays business. 

Total transaction value (TTV) of travel services sold increased by 9% to AED 9.7 billion (US$ 2.6 billion), reflecting the division’s ability to deliver relevant B2B and B2C travel products across customer segments globally.

In 2024-25, dnata’s travel division continued to enhance its expansive portfolio of products and services to meet the evolving and diverse needs of its customers. In the UAE, dnata Travel relaunched its brand proposition, and made major online and offline investments, including an enhanced booking experience on dnatatravel.com and a vibrant new retail store design.  Arabian Adventures introduced new products to cater to the growing number of UAE visitors, including the launch of a premium private dining experience in partnership with Veuve Clicquot; and the opening of The Fort Lisaili, a new multi-experience desert destination in Dubai.

dnata Travel Management onboarded new corporate clients, while dnata Representation Services in Dubai signed six new general sales agent (GSA) contracts with leading international airlines.  

Sustainability

During 2024-25, the Group continued to invest and implement initiatives that help reduce its impact on the planet, increase engagement with communities, and develop and reward its people. 

Emirates continues to seek opportunities to use Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) where feasible across its network. During 2024-25, the airline took its first deliveries of SAF at London Heathrow and Singapore. Emirates also joined Germany’s Aviation Initiative for Renewable Energy, which promotes the development and use of renewable aviation fuel.

Tapping on funds earmarked for research in sustainable aviation solutions, Emirates partnered with the Aviation Impact Accelerator at the University of Cambridge, supporting their research in emissions reduction pathways.  

Emirates launched a large-scale solar energy project at the Emirates Engineering Centre in Dubai to meet 37% of the centre’s power demand; signed up as strategic partner of the Dubai Reef project which focusses on marine conservation; joined the Move to -15^oC global coalition, which aims to reduce energy consumption in the frozen food supply chain; and was the first airline to add donkey hides to its wildlife embargo list after the African Union banned the slaughter of donkeys.

Combining innovative upcycling with social impact, Emirates launched “Aircrafted Kids”, an initiative where seat fabric recovered from the airline’s retrofit programme were made into thousands of durable schoolbags and distributed through NGOs to disadvantaged children around the world to support their education. Emirates also donated 12,000 eyeshades to support teacher training initiatives in the UK for the blind and low vision community. 

dnata expanded its fleet of electric and hybrid ground support equipment (GSE) at airports around the world this year, adding electric GPUs in Dubai, electric forklifts in Singapore, and electric tugs in São Paulo. dnata also trialled its first 100% electric catering truck in Prague. During the year, it launched dnata’s ‘Station of Tomorrow’ at Orlando International Airport, featuring a fully electric GSE fleet; and executed its first fully electric pushback operation in Australia.  

For its non-electric vehicle fleet, dnata aims to use alternative fuel options to reduce emissions where feasible. In 2024-25, dnata transitioned to a biodiesel blend for all non-electric airside vehicles and GSEs in Dubai; began a trial with ExxonMobil on renewable diesel (R20) in Singapore; and began operating its heavy goods vehicles at London Heathrow with 90% Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). 

During 2024-25, the Group expanded its extensive portfolio of programmes for employee development, training, reward and recognition, and well-being. Highlights include: the opening of Wejhaty, a futuristic one-stop-shop for employees’ HR needs; a bespoke engagement zone tailored to our crew community; an early careers programme and an international scholarship programme for Emiratis; and the enhancement of basic salaries and allowances to balance the rising cost of living in the UAE and across its global network.

More details of the Group’s environmental, social and governance initiatives can be found in the full 2024-25 Emirates Group Annual Report.

The 2024-25 Annual Report of the Emirates Group – comprising Emirates, dnata and their subsidiaries - is available at: www.theemiratesgroup.com/annualreport. 

-ENDS-

US$ figures are converted at 1US$ = 3.67AED and are based on the AED figures rounded off in millions.

DUBAI, UAE, 07 November 2024: The Emirates Group today announced its best-ever half-year financial performance, posting a profit before tax of AED 10.4 billion (US$ 2.8 billion) for the first six months of 2024-25, surpassing its record profit before tax for the same period last year.

This is the first financial year that the UAE corporate income tax, enacted in 2023, is applied to the Emirates Group. After accounting for the 9% tax charge, the Group’s profit after tax is AED 9.3 billion (USD 2.5 billion).

Demonstrating its strong operating profitability, the Group maintained a robust EBITDA of AED 20.4 billion (US$ 5.6 billion), slightly lower from AED 20.6 billion (US$ 5.6 billion) last year.

Group revenue was AED 70.8 billion (US$ 19.3 billion) for the first six months of 2024-25, up 5% from AED 67.3 billion (US$ 18.3 billion) last year. This reflects the consistently strong customer demand across business divisions, and across regions.

The Group closed the first half year of 2024-25 with a solid cash position of AED 43.7 billion (US$ 11.9 billion) on 30 September 2024, compared to AED 47.1 billion (US$ 12.8 billion) on 31 March 2024. The Group has been able to tap on its own strong cash reserves to support business needs, including payments for new freighter aircraft orders and other debt payments. The Group also paid AED 2 billion in dividend to its owner, as declared at the end of its 2023-24 financial year.

His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “The Group has surpassed its record performance of last year to deliver a fantastic result for the first half of 2024-25. This again illustrates the power of our proven business model working in combination with Dubai’s growth trajectory as a city of choice to live, work, visit, connect through, and do business in.

“The Group’s strong profitability enables us to make the investments necessary for our continued success. We’re investing billions of dollars to bring new products and services to the market for our customers; to implement advanced technologies and other innovation projects to drive growth; and to look after our employees who work hard every day to ensure our customers’ safety and satisfaction.”

HH Sheikh Ahmed added: “We expect customer demand to remain strong for the rest of 2024-25, and we look forward to increasing our capacity to grow revenues as new aircraft join the Emirates fleet and new facilities come online at dnata. The outlook is positive, but we don’t intend to rest on our laurels. We will stay agile in deploying our capacity and resources in a dynamic marketplace.”

To support increased operations and business activities, the Emirates Group’s employee base, compared to 31 March 2024, grew 3% to an overall count of 114,610 on 30 September 2024. Both Emirates and dnata have ongoing recruitment drives to support their future requirements.

Emirates airline

Emirates continued to enhance its network and increase connectivity options through its Dubai hub.  During the first half of 2024-25, Emirates increased scheduled flights to 8 cities: Amsterdam, Cebu, Clark, Luanda, Lyon, Madrid, Manila and Singapore.

In May, Emirates restarted daily services to Phnom Penh in Cambodia via Singapore. In June, it launched daily services to Bogotá via Miami, expanding the airline’s South American presence to Colombia. In September, Emirates opened a new route to Madagascar via the Seychelles – taking its passenger and cargo network to 148 airports in 80 countries by 30 September.

Expanding connectivity options for customers, during the first six months of 2024-25, Emirates entered into new agreements with 7 codeshare, interline, and intermodal partners: AirPeace, Avianca, BLADE, ITA Airways, Iceland Air, SNCF Railway, and Viva Aerobus.

Between 1 April and 30 September, 8 aircraft (3 A380s, 5 Boeing 777s) with fully refreshed interiors rolled out of the airline’s US$ 4 billion retrofit programme. This enabled Emirates to accelerate the deployment of its latest cabin products, including its latest 4-class Boeing 777 that feature a new 1-2-1 layout of lie-flat seats with personal minibars in Business Class, and the popular Emirates Premium Economy.

The first retrofitted Emirates 777 was deployed to Geneva in August, followed by Tokyo Haneda and Brussels. For the next six months, as more aircraft are retrofitted, Emirates has lined up 10 more routes for its refurbished 777s: Riyadh, Zurich, Kuwait, Damman, Chicago, Boston, Dallas Fort Worth, Seattle, Newark-Athens and Miami-Bogota.

By year end, Emirates’ latest A380 and Boeing 777 inflight experiences including Premium Economy, will be available to customers on over 30 routes.

On ground, AED 44 million was invested to open new signature Emirates Lounges for premium customers in London Stansted and Jeddah airports, and refurbish the existing facility at Paris Charles De Gaulle. This is part of an ongoing multi-million dollar programme to enhance its network of owned Emirates Lounges. In July, Emirates opened a new concept travel store in Hong Kong, its first outside of the UAE, and it plans to launch more experiential stores around its network as part of its retail strategy.

Emirates continued to progress on its environmental initiatives, uplifting sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) where available and feasible. During the first six months of 2024-25, Emirates uplifted SAF for the first time in Singapore and London Heathrow.  

Emirates joined the Aviation Initiative for Renewable Energy (aireg) in Germany; and signed up as industry partner of the Aviation Impact Accelerator (AIA) at the University of Cambridge, contributing to the research and development of emissions reduction pathways. The AIA partnership also marked Emirates’ first disbursement from its US$ 200 million fund, specifically set aside to support R&D to advance sustainability solutions for aviation.

In the first half of 2024-25, Emirates boosted investments in its global brand visibility notably signing a significant new sponsorship deal to be Official Airline Partner of The Championships – Wimbledon. Emirates also extended its longstanding partnerships with the International Cricket Council (ICC) for a further 8 years, and with Portugal’s SL Benfica football club for another 5 years.

Overall capacity during the first six months of the year increased by 5% to 29.9 billion Available Tonne Kilometres (ATKM) due to expanded flight operations. Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), increased by 4%, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKM) was up by 2% with an average Passenger Seat Factor of 80.0%, compared with 81.5% during the same period last year. Emirates carried 26.9 million passengers between 1 April and 30 September 2024, up 3% from the same period last year.

Emirates SkyCargo transported 1,198,000 tonnes in the first six months of the year, up 16% compared to the same period last year, with notable volume contributions from strong Chinese eCommerce traffic, and a rise in shipments bound for Dubai. 

Emirates SkyCargo was able to meet demand with added capacity from 1 new Boeing 777 freighter delivered, and 2 additional wet-leased Boeing 747Fs.  During the first six months of 2024-25, Emirates placed orders for 10 additional Boeing 777 freighters to support its growth.

Strong customer demand for Emirates SkyCargo’s specialised products and excellent network of freighter and bellyhold cargo operations saw cargo yields increase by 11%.

Emirates profit before tax for the first half of 2024-25 hit a new record of AED 9.7 billion (US$ 2.6 billion), compared to AED 9.5 billion (US$ 2.6 billion) for the same period last year. Emirates profit after tax is AED 8.7 billion (US$ 2.4 billion).

Emirates revenue, including other operating income, of AED 62.2 billion (US$ 16.9 billion) was up 5% compared with AED 59.5 billion (US$ 16.2 billion) for the same period last year. The airline’s new record revenue can be attributed to consistently strong travel and air cargo demand across markets, and its ability to offer customers great value and services.

Emirates’ direct operating costs (including fuel) grew by 6% in line with increased operations. Fuel remains the largest component of the airline’s operating cost (32%), compared to 34% in the same period last year.

Driven by customer demand and increased operations during the six months, Emirates’ EBITDA of AED 19.1 billion (US$ 5.2 billion) remained very strong, although slightly down by 2% compared to AED 19.5 billion (US$ 5.3 billion) for the same period last year.

dnata

dnata saw strong growth in the first six months of 2024-25, as it continued to ramp up operations across its cargo and ground handling, catering and retail, and travel services businesses.

In the first half of 2024-25, dnata’s airport services and catering and retail divisions won several significant new contracts, and grew existing customers across its international operations. This shows dnata’s ability to serve the diverse requirements of its airline customers with high safety standards and consistently high-quality products and services.

dnata continued to make strategic investments in its business to respond to customer needs and tap on market prospects. Highlights in the first half of 2024-25 include: the expansion of its USA footprint with the launch of ground handling operations at Raleigh-Durham International airport; the signing of significant deals for new ground support equipment (GSE) estimated at a total value of over US$ 210 million over their lifespan; and the planned 50% increase in cargo handling capacity in Zurich, Switzerland, with additional warehouse capacity.

dnata also progressed its environmental agenda to reduce emissions, with investments to transition its entire fleet of non-electric airside vehicles and GSEs in the UAE to biodiesel, and the addition of more electric GSEs to its Brazil and UAE operations.

dnata’s revenue, including other operating income, of AED 10.4 billion (US$ 2.8 billion) increased by 11% compared to AED 9.3 billion (US$ 2.5 billion) generated in the same period last year.

Overall profit before tax for dnata is AED 720 million (US$ 196 million), down by 5% from the same period last year, primarily due to a one-off impairment charge of AED 152 million. dnata’s profit after tax is AED 571 million (US$ 156 million).

Illustrating its operating profitability, dnata’s EBITDA was AED 1.3 billion (US$ 354 million), up 16% from last year’s AED 1.1 billion (US$ 305 million).

dnata’s airport operations remains the largest contributor to revenue with AED 4.8 billion (US$ 1.3 billion), a 15% increase compared to the same period last year, as its airline customers’ operations continued to pick up particularly in Australia, Singapore, the UAE and UK.  Across its operations, the number of aircraft turns handled by dnata increased by 2% to 391,365, and it recorded 1.5 million tonnes of cargo handled, up by 18% due to the buoyant demand for air cargo services globally.

dnata’s flight catering and retail operations, contributed AED 3.7 billion (US$ 1.0 billion) to its revenue, up 8% with catering production increases in Australia and the UK to meet customer demand, as well as the growth of its retail product as part of the division’s strategy, and the positive impact of revised contracts to reflect rising supply costs. The overall number of meals uplifted decreased by 5% to 62.7 million meals compared to last year’s 66.3 million meals.

dnata's travel division contributed AED 1.8 billion (US$ 483 million) to revenue, up 23% compared to AED 1.4 billion (US$ 391 million) for the same period last year, with strong contributions from its Imagine Cruising, Destination Asia and Middle East Corporate Travel businesses. The division reported an underlying total transactional value (TTV) sales of AED 4.5 billion (US$ 1.2 billion), compared to AED 4.1 billion (US$ 1.1 billion) for the same period last year. -ends

[1] The UAE corporate tax applies to the Emirates Group from its 2024-25 financial year. Hence, PAT figures for September 2024 and September 2023 are not directly comparable.

DUBAI, U.A.E., 09 November 2023: The Emirates Group today announced its best-ever six-month financial result. The Group is reporting a 2023-24 half-year net profit of AED 10.1 billion (US$ 2.7 billion), surpassing its record half-year profit of AED 4.2 billion (US$ 1.2 billion) last year by 138%.

The Group also reported an EBITDA of AED 20.6 billion (US$ 5.6 billion), a significant improvement from AED 15.3 billion (US$ 4.2 billion) during the same period last year, illustrating its strong operating profitability.

Group revenue was AED 67.3 billion (US$ 18.3 billion) for the first six months of 2023-24, up 20% from AED 56.3 billion (US$ 15.3 billion) last year. This was driven by strong demand for air transport across the world, which has been on an upward trajectory since the last pandemic travel restrictions were lifted. 

The Group closed the first half year of 2023-24 with a solid cash position of AED 42.7 billion (US$ 11.6 billion) on 30 September 2023, compared to AED 42.5 billion (US$ 11.6 billion) on 31 March 2023. The Group has been able to tap on its own strong cash reserves to support business needs, including debt payments. So far, Emirates has repaid AED 9.2 billion of its COVID-19 related loans. The Group also paid AED 4.5 billion in dividend to its owner, as declared at the end of its 2022-23 financial year.

His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “We are seeing the fruition of our plans to return stronger and better from the dark days of the pandemic. The Group has surpassed previous records to report our best-ever half-year performance. Our profit for the first six months of 2023-24 has nearly matched our record full year profit in 2022-23. This is a tremendous achievement that speaks to the talent and commitment within the organisation, the strength of our business model, and power of Dubai’s vision and policies that has enabled the creation of a strong, resilient, and progressive aviation sector.

“Across the Group, we’ve continued to ramp up operations safely and move nimbly to meet customer demand. We’ve implemented a series of service and product enhancements to win customer preference, and we’ll continue to invest in our people, products, partnerships, and technology to strengthen our capabilities and ensure we are future ready.”

HH Sheikh Ahmed added: “For the second half of 2023-24, we expect customer demand across our business divisions to remain healthy and we will stay agile in how we deploy our resources in this dynamic marketplace. At the same time, we are keeping a close watch on headwinds such as rising fuel prices, the strengthening US dollar, inflationary costs, and geo-politics.”

To support increased operations and business activities, the Emirates Group’s employee base, compared to 31 March 2023, grew 6% to an overall count of 108,996 on 30 September 2023. Both Emirates and dnata have ongoing recruitment drives to support their future requirements.

Emirates airline

Emirates continued to increase its global flight operations, adding capacity and connections through its Dubai hub to meet customer demand across markets. During the first half of 2023-24, the airline restored A380 operations to Bali, Beijing, Birmingham, Casablanca, Nice, Shanghai, and Taiwan.

In July, it launched daily non-stop services to Montreal, a new destination and the airline’s second gateway in Canada.

Expanding connectivity options for customers, Emirates entered and enhanced codeshare or interline agreements with 8 airlines in the first six months of 2023-24: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Etihad Airways, Kenya Airways, Philippine Airlines, Maldivian, Sri Lankan Airlines, and United Airlines. The codeshare partnership between Emirates and Qantas, which has seen over 15 million travellers benefit from joint flight itineraries since its establishment in 2013, received approvals for a further 5-year extension until 2027.

By 30 September, the airline was operating passenger and cargo services to 144 airports, utilising its entire Boeing 777 fleet and 104 A380s. During the first six months of 2023-24, 10 A380 aircraft rolled out of Emirates’ retrofit programme with completely refreshed cabin interiors and latest onboard products including Premium Economy seats. This enabled the airline to deploy its highly sought-after Premium Economy services on more new routes including New York JFK, Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Singapore.

In the first half of 2023-24, Emirates launched a new global brand advertising campaign featuring Hollywood actor Penelope Cruz; and introduced initiatives to enhance customer travel experience including: a new city check-in facility at Dubai International Financial Centre, free onboard wi-fi for Emirates Skywards members, and a new meal pre-ordering capability for customers to select their meal options in advance of travel.

Overall capacity during the first six months of the year increased by 25% to 28.5 billion Available Tonne Kilometres (ATKM) due to an expanded flight programme. Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), increased by 30%, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKM) was up by 35% with an average Passenger Seat Factor of 81.5%, compared with 78.5% during the same period last year.

Emirates carried 26.1 million passengers between 1 April and 30 September 2023, up 31% from the same period last year. Emirates Skycargo uplifted 1,035,000 tonnes in the first six months of the year, an 11% increase compared to the same period last year despite an overall softening in the global cargo market. This reflects the cargo division’s ability to meet customer demand with specialised products, and the excellent network options on offer with its freighter and bellyhold cargo operations.

Emirates profit for the first half of 2023-24 hit a new record of AED 9.4 billion (US$ 2.6 billion), compared to same period last year’s profit of AED 4.0 billion (US$ 1.1 billion). Emirates revenue, including other operating income, of AED 59.5 billion (US$ 16.2 billion) was up 19% compared with the AED 50.1 billion (US$ 13.7 billion) recorded in the same period last year. The airline’s record performance is attributable to the strong passenger demand for international travel across markets and Emirates’ ability to activate capacity to match demand; and offer customers great value and services.

Emirates’ direct operating costs (including fuel) grew by 9% in line with increased operations. Fuel remains the largest component of the airline’s operating cost (34%), compared to 38% in the same period last year.

Driven by strong demand and increased operations during the six months, Emirates’ EBITDA grew by 33% to AED 19.5 billion (US$ 5.3 billion) compared to AED 14.7 billion (US$ 4.0 billion) for the same period last year.

dnata

dnata continued to ramp up operations across its cargo and ground handling, catering and retail, and travel services businesses. This drove strong revenue growth in the first six months of 2023-24.

In the first half of 2023-24, dnata’s catering and airport services won significant new contracts and grew existing customers across its international operations. This shows dnata’s ability to serve the growing operations of airline customers, and deliver high quality products and services despite lingering operational challenges in many markets such as a shortage of skilled workforce, supply chain issues, and inflationary pressures.

dnata also continued to make strategic investments in its business and implement innovative technology and other initiatives to better respond to customer needs. Highlights in the first half of 2023-24 include: the acquisition of an additional 29% stake in Imagine Cruising, bringing to 81.4% its shareholding in UK’s leading cruise and stay holiday distributors; the implementation of AI-powered solutions to enhance dnata’s cargo handling operations and capabilities in Singapore; and the switch to a biofuel blend for road transport vehicles in the UAE used by dnata Logistics, Arabian Adventures, Alpha Flight Services, and City Sightseeing to reduce emissions and address rising customer expectations for transport options with lower environmental footprint.

dnata’s revenue, including other operating income, of AED 9.3 billion (US$ 2.5 billion) increased by 27% compared to AED 7.3 billion (US$ 2.0 billion) generated in the same period last year.

Overall profit for dnata is AED 709 million (US$ 193 million), compared to same period last year’s AED 236 million (US$ 64 million).

dnata’s airport operations remains the largest contributor to revenue with AED 4.1 billion (US$ 1.1 billion), an 18% increase compared to the same period last year, as its airline customers’ operations continued to pick up particularly in Australia, Singapore, UK, and the UAE.  Across its operations, the number of aircraft turns handled by dnata increased by 11% to 384,656, and it handled 1.3 million tonnes of cargo, down by 5% reflecting further softening of the global air freight market after a pandemic-driven surge.

dnata’s flight catering and retail operations, contributed AED 3.5 billion (US$ 942 million) to its revenue, up 45% with strong production increases in Australia, Italy, UK, and the US to meet customer demand. The number of meals uplifted increased by 31% to 66.3 million meals compared to last year’s 50.5 million meals.

dnata's travel division contributed AED 1.4 billion (US$ 375 million) to revenue, up 16% compared to AED 1.2 billion (US$ 323 million) for the same period last year. dnata saw strong contributions from Destination Asia, its destination management business in Asia; and from its cruise holidays business, Imagine Cruising, in which dnata has acquired controlling interest. The division reported an underlying total transactional value (TTV) sales of AED 4.0 billion (US$ 1.1 billion), compared to AED 3.5 billion (US$ 960 million) for the same period last year.

-ends

Despite tough labour market conditions globally, the Emirates Group ended its financial year on 31 March with more than 102,000 employees, after having welcomed 17,160 people in various roles throughout the year.

Oliver Grohmann, Senior Vice President Human Resources at the Emirates Group said: “The Emirates Group has built an extraordinary reputation as an employer of choice and as a trailblazing force in aviation. People aspire to be part of the Group’s growth story and its ambitions as well as work and live in Dubai, one of the world’s safest, most cosmopolitan and dynamic cities. In the last financial year, we received around 2.7 million applications globally for roles across the organisation. We are using the latest technologies, such as digital assessments, artificial intelligence and other top-notch recruitment systems to shortlist, select and respond to candidates in the most efficient and effective ways. Our focus is on recruiting the best talent, the brightest minds, and those most fit for the various roles that will support and drive our future growth and expansion.”

The fresh callout for cabin crew and pilots comes at one of the most exciting times in Emirates’ history – a year of record financial results and profit share, projected growth, network expansion, delivery of the new fleet of Airbus A350s and Boeing 777-Xs starting in 2024, a buoyant travel market and an optimistic outlook overall.

Cabin crew

Emirates is organising open days and invite-only events across 6 continents, covering hundreds of cities all year round, in search of the brightest talent to offer customers an unmatched onboard experience. The recruitment process is carefully designed to be completed within a day, and candidates are contacted within 48 hours of the assessment.

As part of the world’s largest international airline, Emirates’ cabin crew community represents over 140 nationalities, speaks around 130 languages and delivers the airline’s signature services with excellence and empathy. Aspiring cabin crew can browse the recruitment events calendar, view benefits and eligibility criteria, and apply here.

Pilots

Emirates is holding a series of open days to recruit pilots in the UK and Ireland – Dublin, Manchester, London Gatwick and London Stansted – in August, after successfully running these events in Budapest, Madrid and Lisbon in June. An online information session is slated for 19 July at 1pm Dubai time.

Emirates’ pilots fly one of the world’s youngest and most sophisticated fleets, with 260 all wide-body aircraft of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, to six continents, 150 destinations, and across all terrains, including the North Pole. Since 2022, the airline has welcomed over 900 new pilots on its three recruitment programmes – Direct Entry Captains, Accelerated Command, and First Officers.

A380 Direct Entry Captain: designed for captains with recent command experience on Airbus fly-by-wire Wide Body such as the A330, A340, A350, and A380. 

Accelerated Command: for experienced Airbus Captains, who currently command narrow-body aircraft on regional routes. 

First Officer: for those who have multi-engine, multi-crew aircraft experience, and a valid Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL). 

For more info on benefits, eligibility criteria and to register for the online information session, click here.

Engineers

Emirates Engineering is planning open days in Australia, Canada, Brazil, South Africa and the UK in July and August. With 260 all wide-body aircraft in the fleet, the largest retrofit programme in aviation underway in-house, and with the A350s and 777-Xs joining the fleet soon, Emirates is looking for 75 Structural Technicians along with over 400 positions in aircraft maintenance engineering and engineering support roles.

To know more about Engineering roles, entry requirements and the registration process, click here.

IT professionals

The Group aims to recruit over 400 IT professionals with the right skills for a range of roles in software engineering, DevOps, hybrid cloud, agile delivery, technical product management, digital workplace, cybersecurity, IT architecture, innovation and service management.

The Group’s IT team works on projects across B2C, B2B, support functions and operations for more than 40 brands and businesses in Dubai and globally. The team works with advanced tools, technologies and patterns including cloud services, robotics, DevOps, biometrics, web and native mobile development, and modern programming languages.

The IT team routinely introduces cutting-edge technologies and applications to airline operations, develops flexible, user-friendly customer interfaces, uses in-depth data analysis, and implements machine learning and robotics in partnership with industry leaders.  

To learn more about the diverse IT roles available, entry requirements and the registration process, click here.

Customer service roles

For those who dream of being in aviation, interacting with people from all over the planet and being a part of an iconic brand and a professional team, the Emirates Group’s customer service roles are a step in the right direction. The Group is looking for exceptional individuals who will receive extensive training prior to joining Emirates Airport Services, dnata, marhaba or the contact centres. Those in customer service roles can work either in full-time or part-time positions and enjoy the flexibility to fulfil their lifestyle and career goals.

To know more about customer service roles, click here.

The Emirates Group is also recruiting for several other roles across the organisation, including at dnata, Emirates SkyCargo and in airport services. Those wishing to be a part of the Emirates Group are advised to regularly visit www.emiratesgroupcareers.com to check out the latest roles and updates.

Emirates offers a range of benefits designed for employees and their families to lead an enriching and enjoyable lifestyle. This includes deeply discounted flight tickets for employees, family and friends, competitive tax-free salary, accommodation and transport allowances, life insurance and medical cover, and bonus eligibility. The Emirates Platinum card offers employees thousands of exclusive offers and privileges from hundreds of retail, leisure, service, and hospitality brands in the UAE and globally.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 16 September 2022 – Transguard Group, a joint venture between the Emirates Group and Al Hail Holding, and the UAE’s leading provider of business support and outsourcing services, has appointed four new Directors to its board, signalling its commitment to future growth with the addition of senior executives from both shareholders.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Transguard Group’s Chairman of the Board, said: “Transguard Group welcomes our new board directors whose addition expands the depth and breadth of expertise to steer the business through a new phase of growth. The Group has gone through a period of rapid expansion, alongside record revenue and profit, in the years before COVID-19, which temporarily slowed down growth in 2020-21. With the UAE’s excellent pandemic management strategies, business has rebounded strongly since 2021-22 and Transguard is expecting this upward trend to continue, aided by its solid reputation, as well as business and operational foundations. Across business streams – from cash, security, aviation, hospitality, workforce outsourcing, last mile delivery, home maintenance and facilities management services – the Group looks forward to executing its growth strategy with the support of its expanded Board.”

Transguard Group is committed to continue developing its business capabilities by investing in its workforce and technologies to deliver market-leading services to its customers, and maintain its leadership position in the UAE.

The appointment of the following Directors is effective immediately:

Michael Doersam, Chief Financial Officer at the Emirates Group, who brings over 30 years of experience from different roles in Europe and the UAE spanning the areas of finance strategy, financial reporting, treasury and insurance, FP&A, taxation, and global financial services.

Nidal Khatib, Chief Financial Officer at Al Hail Holding, who brings nearly 30 years of experience in finance, accounting, cost control, systems, audit, tax, treasury & foreign exchange in companies engaged in retail, manufacturing, real estate, trading, operation, and other industries.

Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates airline, who brings over 30 years of experience in the aviation industry spanning strategy, planning, commercial operations, market expansion and government relations.

Shahreyar Nawabi, General Counsel Emirates & Group Data Privacy Officer, who brings over 20 years of experience on legal, compliance and governance matters spanning a variety of industries and geographies in both private and government sectors.

The directors will work closely with HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum; Hamad Darwish, CEO of Al Hail Holding; and Mohammed Almazrouei, COO of Al Hail Holding; who continue in their roles as directors on the board of Transguard Group.

15 September 2022, Dubai, UAE – IT professionals with the right skills need look no further than the Emirates Group to ramp up their careers. The Group will kick-start their recruitment drive in the UAE with an online info session, open to all tech professionals in the country, on Monday, 19 September at 6pm. Click here to register for the session.

The Group is looking to recruit more than 800 IT experts in the next few months for a range of roles in software engineering, DevOps, Hybrid cloud, Agile delivery, technical product management, Digital Workplace, cybersecurity, IT architecture, innovation and service management.

Typically, the Group’s IT team works on cutting-edge projects across B2C, B2B, support functions and operations for more than 40 brands and businesses in Dubai and globally. Some of the advanced tools, technologies and patterns available to the IT team include cloud services, microservices, API management, event streaming, robotics, DevOps, biometrics including facial recognition, web and native mobile development, and modern programming languages including ReactJS, full stack Java, .NET and Python.

The team architects, builds and efficiently maintains software and systems that make real contributions to help manage operations, ramp up revenue, streamline costs, maximise business and people efficiencies, and internal engagement. Some of the recent projects the IT team has delivered include their work around launching Emirates’ premium economy product for sale, optimising catering using AI models, incorporating biometrics at self-service kiosks, and dnata’s cargo and resource management systems.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, said: "Dubai ranks among the world’s top 10 cities where tech experts aspire to work on initiatives and the development of future applications. As a global airline, we’re looking for continuous product improvements and efficiency across our operations, and we are investing in tomorrow to take advantage of technological evolution and to upskill our employees. We are keen to attract talent to be part of our IT workforce. We have an array of exciting and challenging tech and innovation projects in the pipeline, some of which will shape many of our day-to-day processes and activities. We know these will form the bedrock of dream careers for tech professionals.”

Candidates will have immense opportunities to introduce advance technologies and the latest applications to airline operations, embark on developing flexible, user-friendly customer interfaces, using in-depth data analysis and implementing machine learning and robotics in partnership with industry leaders.  

For more information on the info session and to apply for jobs, click here.

Transguard has a long track record of providing safe, efficient and reliable logistical services to more than 100 destinations globally and is an industry leader when it comes to the secure transportation of valuable items. Transguard has been reocgnised on multiple occasions, winning the Dubai Quality Award in 2017 and Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award (SKEA) in the Silver Category in 2018.

During the peak of the pandemic and amidst the lockdown in Dubai, Transguard handled more than 32 tons of valuable cargo shipments arriving at Dubai International and cargo terminals on more than 50 private aircraft.

Dr Abdulla Al Hashimi, Divisional Senior Vice President of Emirates Group Security, said: “It’s a matter of great pride and honour to win the Dubai Quality Gold Award for yet another one of our organisations in the Emirates Group. The journey to excellence is a continuous path that must be constantly improved and consistently emphasised throughout the organisation. Our team’s commitment to continual improvement and delivering unparalleled service to our customers has resulted in winning this prestigious accolade.”

To win the DQA Gold Award, the organisation must achieve a score above 700 points and showcase itself as an excellent organisation in the categories of improvement as a way of life, being an industry role model, consistently excellent results, acting as a corporate citizen, spreading the excellence principles among customers, suppliers, business partners and clear management by processes and facts.

Dr Abdulla added: “In the face of adversity, we realise our strengths and capabilities as individuals, a team, and an organisation. Covid-19 was immensely challenging and required agile thinking and resourcefulness to overcome the obstacles we encountered. With teamwork and innovative solutions, we became the only organisation in the region to organise chartered flights for valuables between countries, bridging the gap of business demand and supply.”

The recipient organisations of the Dubai Quality Gold Award (DQA) are assessed on the parameters of their leadership, strategy, people, partnerships, operations and processes, against the Excellence Framework set by the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). The panel of assessors is comprised of industry experts specialised in niche sectors to ensure a fair evaluation of all participants.

Transguard operates in compliance with ISO standards, and the organisation’s valuable handling terminal was the first in the GCC region to be certified by the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA). Transguard is the only security agency authorised by Dubai Civil Aviation (DCA) to manage secured valuable cargo operations on the tarmac. It is also responsible for handling and managing the import and export process, including vaulting for every piece of valuable cargo that passes through Dubai airports. Transguard is supported by dedicated police and customs authorities in addton to the Kimberly Porcess office, making it a unique one-stop solution.

About Transguard

Transguard, a division of the Emirates Group, provides highly secure logistics of valuable commodities such as diplomatic mail, bank notes, diamonds, jewellery, precious metals and more. Backed by Emirates, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, Transguard provides safe, efficient and extremely reliable logistical services to more than 150 destinations across the globe.

The state-of-the-art valuable cargo terminal that Transguard mans and manages at Dubai International Airport is the first of its kind in the world. Transguard is the only agency authorised by Dubai Civil Aviation to escort valuable cargo to and from the aircraft and the airport's strong-room, and are responsible for handling every piece of valuable cargo that passes through the airport.

In addition to providing secure escort services, Transguard also offers services such as cash processing, ATM management, guarding, storage, customs clearance, ground handling activities, cash-in-transit and freight forwarding - all under one roof.

The ceremony, held at the Emirates Group Headquarters, honoured the achievements of the latest cohort of 109 graduates from 35 nationalities – 72 received the Diploma in Aviation Security Management and 37 the Diploma in Ground Handling. Of these, 86 graduates are employees of the Emirates Group.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive Emirates Airline and Group said: “Aviation is one of the most robust and thriving industries in the UAE, and Dubai is one of the largest global aviation hubs. The importance of these two diploma programmes is clear, especially in the context of building our nation’s expertise, our people’s skills, and enhancing safety and security in our aviation ecosystem. It’s encouraging to see so many of our employees proactively upskilling themselves. I congratulate all our graduates and wish them every success in their professional lives and careers.”

Both diplomas are offered by Emirates Group Security’s education arm, Centre of Aviation Security Studies (CASS), which has been established in partnership with Edith Cowan University (ECU), Australia. The collaboration between CASS and the ECU dates back to 2000, when they began to jointly develop the curriculum for the diplomas.

Dr Abdulla Al Hashimi, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates Group Security said: “Every year, a new cohort of students commit to and graduate through our 18-month programme, and their diplomas have become key to their professional success – whether it’s their first job or a fresh start in the aviation industry. While you can have the best technology in the world, it really comes down to the human factor and people’s expertise, and both our programmes equip students with specialist skills. Nearly 2,000 students have graduated from our programmes in the last 18 years, and our partnership with the Edith Cowan University has been at the core of its success.”

Professor Steve Chapman, Vice-Chancellor of Edith Cowan University said: “ECU places huge value on its partnership with Emirates as a world leading airline. I am truly excited about the future opportunities for the Emirates-ECU partnership and I look forward to seeing our relationship grow and deepen.”

Students in the programmes are taken through a range of subjects, including aviation security, threat assessment and management, and aviation logistics. CASS awards diplomas under the Australian Commonwealth university guidelines and they are also recognised by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). CASS graduates have the option to earn internationally recognised credit points for future courses of study with Edith Cowan University.

In addition to the diploma programmes, Emirates Group Security offers a number of short term university-level accredited training programmes in aviation and general security for ground staff, aircrew and professionals from security and related industries.

Click here for more information on CASS, ECU and the programmes.

Hear from two top graduates…

Nataliia Akatova said: “I was just promoted to a new position, and expected it to be very intense and stressful, but it was easy to manage both. I swapped shifts with my colleagues to attend every single class at the academy. The trainers were truly amazing! They were professional and patient. I gained a lot of confidence during the programme, and found a new job right after. If you love aviation passionately, if you are ready to invest time in yourself and your dreams – you must go for this course. This is your opportunity to see your job from a different angle, see yourself in a big picture and connect the dots. Apart from that, you’ll definitely meet new people, make friends, learn something new together and have fun! This course was life changing for me, and maybe it will be for others as well.”

Thuy Nga said: “It was tough because I work in operations, but CASS sent me the schedule of the whole programme in advance, so I could follow up and look for replacements ahead of time. The programme trained me for all ground handling jobs – from check-ins to boarding and connections – and tackled a wide gamut of subjects like security, airlines, airports, logistics, supply chain, and cargo. The facilities at Emirates Aviation College is great. Education is the passport to the future. Studying is hard, but you’ll see it’s worth it.”

Contact

Sheba Koonan, Emirates Public Relations, sheba.koonan@emirates.com