Staff Reporter
Emirates Airlines has not experienced any effects from U.S. tariffs under President Donald Trump, according to Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim.
However, he emphasized the need for vigilance amid ongoing uncertainties.
“Things are looking quite positive, but we can’t ignore the many uncertainties out there that we need to monitor,” Kazim stated on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.
Kazim noted that delays in aircraft deliveries have led Emirates to accelerate its $5 billion fleet retrofitting program, originally announced in 2021.
This initiative helps the airline maintain capacity in light of rising demand and supply shortages. “If Boeing planes had been delivered on schedule, we would have had 90 aircraft flying,” he remarked.
As the largest airline in the United Arab Emirates and a significant contributor to the local economy, Emirates is the world’s leading operator of Boeing 777 jets and one of the largest cargo carriers globally.
When asked about the possibility of acquiring aircraft that China may cancel due to ongoing trade tensions, Kazim pointed out that each airline has specific design and business needs. “We cannot take other companies’ aircraft for sure,” he added.
Boeing is currently exploring options to resell several planes affected by tariffs after bringing back a third jet to the U.S. amid delivery disputes that have drawn criticism of Beijing from Trump.
Kazim mentioned that Emirates anticipates receiving between 12 and 15 new aircraft by the end of this summer, which will support further expansion of its global network.
Emirates Chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum also expressed optimism, stating that there has been no impact from the tariff regime so far. “I don’t see any pattern of people not flying or booking earlier and canceling; that’s not happening,” he noted.
