March 28- President of Emirates Airline Tim Clark, moved forward with a decision to raise prices and build its upscale brand, and the result was an increase in demand as the global economy recovered from the downturn. Mr. Clark explained that the airline began cutting its fares in hopes that it would stimulate the market, but then in March, reversed course because “this doesn’t make sense to me and if we carry on like this we will be at yield levels predating the turn of the millennium, so we better sort ourselves out.”
The airline subsequently spent millions of dollars developing its upscale brand including putting first class showers on its A380 superjumbos, and sponsoring horse racing, yachting, and football events. Between April and December Emirates raised prices by 35 percent and the result was an increase in seat factors and load factors. Emirates Airline has had a profit in all but one of its 25 years of operation, and expects to post a profit this financial year. The airline will record another record for passenger traffic this year, probably in excess of 24 million, in a year described by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as “the worst demand decline in airline history.”
