the article is 3 months old.... an eternity in the aviation world.
loads are back to normal from what I hear, except in premium class on some sectors.
The unmentionable is indeed in deep trouble it seems but, as opposed to Dubai, their owners have very deep pockets and other revenue streams...
Clubbing both uae airliners would indeed create huuge synergies and completely reshape the competitive landscape...
Lets see how 'united' the UAE is the coming years.....