Emirates will not cut flights despite Middle East war pressures

[BERLIN] Emirates president Tim Clark warned on Tuesday (Jun 9) that weaker airlines could fail if the Iran war drags on, with budget carriers most exposed, but said his airline had no plans to cut capacity despite financial pressure from the conflict.

“If this crisis goes on for too long, there will be some casualties, likely in the budget airline sector first,” Clark said, echoing comments by IATA chief Willie Walsh at the weekend. Clark said Emirates would keep flying, routing passengers via Dubai to destinations including India and Australia and taking precautions such as carrying extra fuel.

The airline was also rolling out free Starlink connectivity on as many aircraft as possible, a move he said had boosted demand.

“We have no intention of cutting back, reducing,” he told a news conference ahead of the Berlin Air Show, adding the state-backed airline was not concerned about the additional cost.

Clark said Emirates expected strong demand for Berlin and had renewed a decades-long push for access, lobbying successive governments since the 1990s.

The airline has secured slots at Berlin airport but still lacks approval to operate, even as it seeks broader expansion in Germany.

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Clark also rejected Lufthansa’s criticism that Gulf carriers enjoyed an unfair regulatory advantage, saying that the German flag carrier had also received state aid.

“It is a listed company, and it needs to fight its own corner without going to the government and hiding behind its skirts,” he said. REUTERS