Emirates is proving to all aviation experts that an airline can beat the corona pandemic in a very short time. The United Arab Emirates airline returned this year with a load factor of more than 80 percent compared to 2019, and reported half-year profits of $1.2 billion on Thursday. “Next year we will return to pre-crisis level,” says Emirates Switzerland boss Jürg Müller (61). He highlights how important Switzerland is to him, the importance of the World Cup in Qatar and the work done with influencers in Dubai.
This year you are celebrating 30 years of Emirates in Switzerland. I guess no one from Dubai congratulated you on that, did they?
Juerg Mueller: You’re wrong. Our European boss, Thierry Aucoc, called me directly to congratulate him. 30 years is a milestone and at the same time a commendation of Emirates to Switzerland. Apart from the pandemic years, we have experienced steady growth over the last 15 years by bringing large aircraft like the A380 to Zurich and expanding our connections from Geneva.
Switzerland is an insignificant market. Before the pandemic, Emirates carried more than 58 million passengers a year. There were a total of 9 million passengers in Switzerland in the last 30 years.
Switzerland, one of our top 5 in Europe, is one of the most important markets when you look at its sales performance alone. Switzerland is a strong market. We’ve built a sustainable clientele here – this is very clearly demonstrated by both our numbers and the passenger reaction.
We are in the top 5 because we are Swiss, because we are rich and we do business and first class perfectly. Correctly?
It is true that we have a high percentage of premium customers in Switzerland. Switzerland has traditionally been an attractive market for the airline industry. Not only because Swiss people spend more per trip, but also because Mr and Mrs Swiss travel more.
Its CEO is Sheikh Ahmed, an entrepreneur and part of the executive family in Dubai. Did you personally take him to your office?
No, but Sheikh Ahmed is here in Zurich from time to time, and we’ll meet up if the schedule allows. I was at an Emirates meeting in Dubai recently. There he paid tribute to the entire Emirates team for the great work they have done during the corona pandemic.
Do you like influencers?
I don’t use social media much in my private life. But in the business world, it makes sense to invite good and well-known influencers in some situations. We have our own brand image and if possible we try to work with influencers who fit this image.
Are influencers your most important passengers?
no These are regular guests who appreciate our product and network. We can count on them during the pandemic years.
But for Dubai, the influencers are the most important guests. The city – in this country too – has become very popular thanks to the beautiful and luxurious photos on social media.
If the content is professionally designed, that’s a good thing. Absolutely important word of mouth – personal advice. Dubai is very diverse as a destination – you have the beach, the big city, the desert, a variety of outdoor activities and interesting business conferences. As you can see, Dubai is for everyone – not just influencers.
Jürg Mueller (61) knows the airline industry in Switzerland like no other. He has been working in the travel and aviation industry for over 35 years. He held various management positions at Swissair and Swiss in the 1990s and 2000s. He has been head of Switzerland at Emirates since 2007. The airline from the United Arab Emirates has operated in Switzerland since 1992 and today operates two scheduled flights a day from Zurich and Geneva to Dubai. In 2018, Müller also became President of the Association of Airlines Operating in Switzerland.
Jürg Mueller (61) knows the airline industry in Switzerland like no other. He has been working in the travel and aviation industry for over 35 years. He held various management positions at Swissair and Swiss in the 1990s and 2000s. He has been head of Switzerland at Emirates since 2007. The airline from the United Arab Emirates has operated in Switzerland since 1992 and today operates two scheduled flights a day from Zurich and Geneva to Dubai. In 2018, Müller also became President of the Association of Airlines Operating in Switzerland.
Influencers have managed to put Dubai in a good light. Now they should be able to do the same in Doha. Influencers should report positively on the football World Cup in Qatar. This plan isn’t going to work, is it?
I cannot speak for others.
Some tour operators are boycotting the World Cup – Emirates operates 30 feeder flights a day with its sister company FlyDubai. Has the boycott ever been a problem?
I am not making any political comments about the football World Cup in Qatar.
To understand. Do you watch the matches in person?
I am a football fan and will watch some matches on TV.
How important is the World Cup to Emirates?
It’s not as big as you might imagine. Demand for Dubai and the entire network is already growing.
But Emirates has a World Cup strategy, right?
Of course, this is an important event in our region. Our clients travel from Zurich or Geneva to Dubai and fly to and from Doha on individual match days. Dubai is in really good shape for this period, but not fully booked yet. I’m still waiting for a few short-term inquiries. By the way, it’s also worth following the World Cup in Dubai when the temperatures are higher. The city has even set up fan zones.
Does it really bother you that as a Swiss you have to justify yourself for the Emirates or the United Arab Emirates from time to time?
You learn to deal with it and I don’t have to do it that often anymore. I work for a global brand, it makes me proud. I have been working with Emirates for 15 years and I know the airline is managed in a market oriented way. After all, that’s what matters. We also take good care of our employees and are a very attractive and respected employer in Switzerland.