Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates, said on Tuesday night that the airline had received “no subsidy in cash or in kind” from the Dubai government, contrary to allegations made by US airlines in a campaign against Arabian Gulf carriers.
He was speaking after two days of meetings with US department of trade and state department officials to discuss calls by three US carriers – American, Delta and United – to change “open skies” aviation policy in light of what they claim are unfair and anti-competitive business practices by Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways.
Mr Clark said that the meeting with US officials had been “very productive” but declined to go into detail.
A combative Mr Clark said that the airline would “respond to all the allegations, and we’ll do that in a manner that will rebut all of them. Then I hope we will get an apology from the people who have made them.”
He said that Emirates would provide a line-by-line response to the US allegations. “Give us some time to do so, but we don’t need a lot of time. Watch this space,” he said.
On one specific allegation – that Emirates had been “bailed out” to the tune of $4bn by the Dubai government when fuel options had moved against the airline in 2009 – he responded: “Tosh. It will be easy to respond to that. I can say now that some of the figures and the conclusions drawn from them are incorrect.”
Mr Clark also repeated his promise to resign if any of the subsidy allegations were proved. “I wont have to resign, because the allegations are incorrect and we’ll show that they are incorrect,” he said.
He left open the option of legal action against the US airlines if it was proved Emirates had suffered losses as a result of the allegations.
Earlier in the day, James Hogan, chief executive of Etihad, told leaders of the global aviation industry that the “secrets” of the airline’s rapid growth were customer service, modern aircraft, competitive fares and attractive routes.
It was the first public response from the Abu Dhabi airline since US rivals launched their campaign, which Mr Hogan said was a threat to competitive choice for millions of US and other air passengers.
He said open skies has been a model of success that has generated “enormous benefits” for travellers and airlines both in the US and the UAE.
“Etihad is a David, a David who’s been facing Goliaths since 2003, when we started. In virtually every market we’ve entered, we’ve had to face existing competitors, with established businesses, established infrastructure, established sales and marketing, established brands, and established customer bases,” he said.
“In many cases, those established airlines were gifted amazing infrastructure – airports, terminals, slots, landing rights – over decades. To take them on, we’ve had to work harder and we’ve had to work smarter. That’s called competition.”
Mr Hogan said that Etihad had delivered 180,000 passengers on to the networks of US airlines last year, and 50,000 in the first two months of this year.
“Our commitment to the US economy supports more than 200,000 jobs,” he said.
fkane@thenational.ae
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North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
OIL PLEDGE
At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
'Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower'
Michael Beckley, Cornell Press
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
