Step back a few years,
"the building blocks of this airline was based upon superior customer service"
This airline would NOT compromise one bit to ensure the best customer service was being maintained, with the goal of even exceeding these high standards. This meant looking after the staff also. Without these people (office, ramp, engineering, flight deck, cabin crew, the list goes on), the airline would just be like the rest of them.
Reflecting on both their updated message on their website and a quotation directly from HH Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum regarding their recent financial results;
Our Vision & Values (WEBSITE)
The principles which propel us forward
A strong and stable leadership team, ambitious yet calculated decision-making and ground-breaking ideas all contribute to the creation of great companies. Of course, these have played a major part in our development, but we believe our business ethics are the foundation on which our success has been built. Caring for our employees and stakeholders, as well as the environment and the communities we serve, have played a huge part in our past and will continue to shape our future.
2012-13 Financial Results“Achieving our 25th consecutive year of profit in a financial year with our largest ever increase in capacity across the network is an achievement that speaks to the strength of our BRANDS and our LEADERSHIP,” said Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates airline and Group.
the obvious is now clear !
Whether it is due to external financial pressures from Dubai Government or whatever the reason might be; it seems to a neutral bystander, there has been a monumental shift away from these important founding principles, and they now believe (rightly or wrongly) that their route to continued success is through their Brand and Leadership.
The final statement "Caring for our employees and stakeholders, as well as the environment and the communities we serve, have played a huge part in our past and will continue to shape our future." is profound and correct in many aspects. REMEMBER: It has shaped Emirates to where it is today, but recent decisions made, of course will shape the future of Emirates in the years ahead.
1.Does the leadership believe that the product Emirates provide continues to be superior, and is out of reach by many of your competitors. If so, surely you must do what it necessary to maintain this high standard.
OR
2.Do you want to alter this product, in order to maximise profits.
For the sake of maximising profits, you risk demotivating your employees to the extent that the well known Emirates Standard is lost.
As a frequent passenger of this airline, I would hate to see this Gold Standard lower, due to a decision made simply not to reward their staff.
It seems the fortunes of both Dubai and the Emirates are interlinked.
The current financial health of Dubai, has had a knock on effect to the health of the Emirates Group.
If it is the case, the Emirates Group have now been given the responsibility by the powers that be, to get all the crazy people before 2008 off the hook, by paying back insane dividends (all from the result of wreck less behaviour before the 2008 crash), Emirates can no longer say they are a single entity, responsible for their own success.
Interesting times ahead, no doubt!