Even as it keeps asking for more seats, Emirates has gone premium in India

Earlier this month, Dubai headquartered Emirates declared its best ever half year profit before tax of AED 11.4 billion (US$ 3.1 billion), up 17% compared to the same period last year. This came within days of IndiGo reporting its half yearly loss on the back of a forgettable Q2, with the blame pinned to foreign exchange issues as the rupee slides against the dollar.

Often referred to as the de facto “national carrier” of India, every time there is a demand for more seats to Dubai, there is a clamour of protecting Indian carriers versus allocating seats to Emirates.