Dubai's aviation boom in question as airshow kicks off
The profitability of UAE airlines is on the decline as Dubai Airshow 2019 kicks off.
As the curtain rises on Dubai Airshow 2019, which starts Nov. 17 at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), the certainties of the decadelong aviation boom in the Gulf do not hold as true as they used to.
Emirates airline is not as profitable as it once was, despite a marked uptick in the first half of 2019-20, while Etihad Airways, the United Arab Emirates’ other major carrier, based in Abu Dhabi, is trying to recover from three straight years of losses in excess of $1 billion. Qatar Airways is frozen out in the region by a boycott that shows no signs of being lifted, something that has marred its own profits in recent years.
