Emirates onboard sales revenue up in 2008/09

Nicole Mezzasalma

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The airline registered a 27% increase in revenue from the sale of goods in the financial year ending March 31 2009

The Emirates Group, which includes airline Emirates, has recorded a 10.4% increase in total revenue to AED46.3bn ($12.6bn) in the financial year ending March 31 2009 compared with the previous year. But operating profit fell by 35% to AED3bn ($817m).

Emirates’ total revenue grew by 9.9% to AED44.2bn ($12bn) in the 2008/09 financial year. The carrier also registered a 26.9% increase in revenue from the sale of goods to AED1.56bn ($425m) in the period. Emirates handled 22.7m passengers in the last financial year, a 7% improvement on the previous year’s figures.

President Tim Clark said: “With 30 carriers announcing bankruptcy, Emirates has not been immune to the challenging trading conditions, the worst in living memory. But there have been positive signs. [Operating] revenue increased by 17% and passenger numbers continued to grow, with the airline maintaining its share of premium passenger traffic.”