Gulf airlines are raking in profits for their (mainly government) owners. The top three carriers — Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad — all had record years in 2024, and first-quarter results from Air Arabia suggest demand remains robust. All that is giving airlines confidence: Qatar Airways and Etihad recently announced orders for a combined 238 Boeing jets worth $110 billion.
Aviation chiefs appear unconcerned about a global slowdown, and investors are thinking positively too. Flynas has attracted $109 billion in orders for its $1 billion initial public offering in Saudi Arabia, while Etihad is likely to find plenty of interest for its planned listing.
AD