Emirates airline, which is owned by the Dubai government, said it will continue to operate flights to Russia ‘unless told otherwise’.

“The ownership has not directed us to do otherwise and so as long as we are not told not to operate to Russia, we will continue to do so,” said Emirates President Tim Clark during the World Government Summit in Dubai.

Emirates’ partner airlines – flydubai and S7 have suspended certain flights to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus due to the closure of airspace over these areas.

Emirates is currently flying humanitarian goods, NGO workers, and diplomats in and out of Russia, said Clark. “A lot of the developing world, which is perhaps not part of the sanctions regime, needs to deal with Russia in their own way, so all we're doing is being an enabler facilitator.”

Clark said that the airline will be able to ‘manage through’ the current high oil prices, which have stayed firmly above $100 a barrel due to the current conflict.

The higher oil prices, along with the pandemic, will also affect airlines’ ability to continue flying larger jets such as the Airbus A380. Emirates received the delivery of its 123rd A380 jumbo jet in December last year.

Clark put all those doubts to rest. “In the time we have had them and prior to the pandemic, they have produced about 80 per cent of our profits''

“They are going to be more unique going forward (because) the consumer demand for these airplanes is astronomical,” said Clark. “We're going to refurbish them, refresh them, (and) put more innovation into them.”