The Dubai National Air Travel Agency (DNATA) was set up in 1959 to help provide personnel and systems for reservations, departure control and IT in order to give Emirates a boost. It is known by the maternal nickname, ‘mother of Emirates Airline”. Over the years the company became such an accomplished and diversified provider of airport and travel services that it became known as ‘the airline without aircraft’.
President of DNATA and Emirates Group Services said “It was effectively an airline. It was the sole ground handler at the airport, it had all the departure control activity, it did everything. It was the agent for nearly every airline in Dubai. It just didn’t have aeroplanes.” DNATA still does not have areoplanes but is extremely profitable The company generated revenues of Dh3.16 billion (US$860 million) last fiscal year, 24 percent higher than the previous year. Profits increased 66 percent to Dh507 million – very desirable returns during the worst economic downturn in 70 years.
