I think its a hard thing to really compare as the ME3 are government (or government concern) airlines so who really knows what their bottom line is.
Nolimit is right, if you compare apple for apples, the USA and Euro airlines work within the limits and confines of taxes, unions, labor laws, governing bodies, highly taxed fuel etc. By comparison if DAL made 1.5 million then EK should be able to easily double or triple it in real terms, given their " unique business model " or whatever TC tells the world EK does to be so successful. If you can't make money in the ME then its because you've started a pig farm by mistake.
However their achilles-heel may turn out to be location if Iran and Saudi turn up the heat or something happens that would stop the traveller from coming through or to the region.