M Crit,
We all know what creative accounting is, but that still does not answer the question of what is considered to be "appropriate"?
Now that EK are buying their own aircraft and not leasing them (several a380s now have "Owned by Emirates") this does mean that the money is being reduced into operating costs alot more than times of old. The continued sponsorships from Grand Prix, cricket, Arsenal, sailing to mention a few has a very high hit on the "profit" margin the company makes.
A few quotes to end the post......
How it is:
When morality comes up against profit, it is seldom that profit loses.
Does this sound familiar:
Greed's worst point is its ingratitude
And for those who can accept their fate:
It is not the man who has little, but he who desires more, that is poor.