Interview with Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum, the CEO and Chairman of Emirates

To see 200 mm rainfall, you know, it was really tough, but I think we did manage to put nearly more than 26,000 people into hotels in Dubai. Outside of Dubai, because there are a number of people who being booked. I think we been hard on the baggage, trying to push baggage with the passenger to the destination they are flying. It was really tough. It's not tough really to identify those bags and send it to the destination, but we find that other airports were pushing us, don't send us more baggage. Even we are sending them to people, so it's beyond our control because we cannot control what other airports can accept. This is just to give you a flavor of what we've been through.

I think for a lot of people, and I don't blame them. They said, 'I flew on your flight, I'm going there, I want to see your bag. My bag is there.' I can say yes, you are right, but sometimes it's beyond my control if I cannot push more. I think this is why we transferred a lot of people also to taking other flights, you know, besides Emirates, just to get them to that destination. But I think for us all within the airline, the three within Dubai, we learn a lot from the late last weather and what happened to Dubai. But always when it comes to rain and weather, we say, 'I mean, that God,' and we always will complain to come to this part of the way.

It's not a nice-to-have for Dubai, it is a must-have. Without this airport, Dubai would be going back. If you look at the number, if you have growth of, let's say, 5% every year as an example, where will you be? You will have all those aircraft coming to the fleet. They signed orders, then I need gates for them, parking for them. With the existing facility, if somebody knows how airports work, you can always say, this is how many gates we have, this is how many parking. How will they be able with the existing number to fit all this number here? I mean, look just at Emirates and flydubai, add up their numbers and say, can you work from this airport? The answer will be no. You have to get a new airport or split your operation. And we are always thinking there is no split of operation, always can be from one hub.

I wish all the best for them to become one of the players in the region, and I think they will succeed in bringing more people to Saudi Arabia. I take it as a plus point because somebody is helping within the region to bring somebody new to the area. And my chance, I would always say, at least 50-50 I would get that person to come to Dubai. I don't look at it as negative. It is the same piece of cake, let's say we share the same cake and somebody will be chopping a piece. I look at it, they will add to the park. That is the way I look at it.

I think a lot of people, even friends, ask me when, and I always go to my maybe classical answer. I would say, you know, it is and it's true. I mean, maybe some people think, oh yeah, I am with that airline, but actually when it comes to the decision of the IPO, it's not me who decides that. That's the government, the right decision, you know, it is who sits on the top. They would decide when, and if they tell me you do it, I would do it.

Of course, Sheikh Ahmed has bold plans to grow the airline, but to do that they need airplanes, and that's not easy at the moment, particularly given the challenges at Boeing. This is what Sheikh Ahmed had to say, quite a stern message for the new management team at Boeing.

People ask me, are you happy? I said, I'm not happy. I hope that the new management today will put all the effort to fix Boeing, or the delivery of Boeing's new aircraft, the 777X. I did meet with the management some time ago, and they announced, they promised that they would do their best to fix it. I always take it now because so much delay has happened. Till I see that certification announced, and I think the whole world will know about it, then they can really put a day.

Not that this really had to do with Tim leaving or staying, but this is to build up the team, the strength, the strategy that we would continue. If he or I am there or I am leaving, the way we will continue to serve, putting our strategy, whoever will come and go. This strategy is Dubai's strategy, it's not the airline's strategy. That will continue.