Aviation Outlook: Stop squabbles and focus on growth challenge says Emirates

With demand for global air travel to double again in the next ten years, airlines should stop squabbling and instead focus on meeting the challenge of that growth, said a senior Emirates executive at today's Aviation Outlook MENA conference in Dubai.

Richard Jewsbury senior vice president, commercial operations said “demand is robust and it will take our joint efforts meet the demand. What we have seen already is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Jewsbury outlined a series of challenges that he said could hinder the airlines’ ability to meet the growth demands.

“Airspace management, airport infrastructure, and in some areas constraints on bi-lateral agreements need to be worked on. Aircraft availability could be a challenge and of course there is the worry over a shortage of skilled labour. These are the issues we should be focusing on as an industry,” he said.

Asked about the non-industry driven events that affect airline profitability such as natural disasters, oil prices etc Jewsbury said “We take the long term view. If we took a short-term view we would never get up in the morning.”