Emirates ranked as region’s most valuable airline brand and world’s fourth


Deena Kamel
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Delta Air Lines has retained its title as the world's most valuable airline brand, with Emirates in the top five internationally, consultancy Brand Finance said.

The brand value of Delta, whose headquarters are in Atlanta, the US, soared 27 per cent to $7.3 billion as the US airline introduced various new features over the year to retain customer loyalty during a period of low demand, Brand Finance's Airlines 50 2022 report said.

American Airlines, United Airlines, Emirates and Southwest Airlines rounded off the top five.

Emirates came first regionally and fourth internationally in the top 10 most valuable airline brands in 2022, with a valuation of nearly $5bn, the report showed.

Savio D’Souza, valuation director at Brand Finance, said the pandemic had brought many unforeseen restrictions to the global travel industry which had had an adverse effect on airline brand values.

"As the world looks to a post-Covid future, airline brands, led by Delta, are beginning to taxi for take-off. Brand values have grown this year but have a long way to return to pre-pandemic levels," he said.

Global airlines are starting to rebound from a two-year slump in air travel during the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic as border restrictions ease around the world. But staff shortages at airlines and airports are causing severe disruption at some major centres with cancelled flights and long queues at security. Stepping up operations and rehiring staff fast enough to meet recovering demand is the latest challenge for the aviation industry.

Saudi Arabian Airlines, or Saudia as it is known, was ranked as the fastest growing airline brand in Middle East in the report. Its brand value rose 13 per cent to $572 million.

Saudi Arabia plans to increase the number of business and leisure tourists to about 100 million a year by 2030, and the number of religious visitors to 30 million by 2025.

The Saudia "brand is undergoing a heavy investment phase to capture this growth as part of the travel and tourism ecosystem being built almost from scratch in the country," Brand Finance said. "[It] is one of the key enablers of the logistics and tourism goals of Vision 2030."

Qatar Airways is the second-fastest growing brand in the Middle East at 12.5 per cent growth with a brand value of $2bn, as it looks to capitalise on the Fifa World Cup tournament being held in November and December, the report said.

"The Middle East region has seen its brand value recover over the last year as demand for travel has recovered," the report said.

Spanish airline Iberia as ranked the fastest-growing airline brand globally, with a 36 per cent increase in brand value to $2bn, marginally ahead of Singapore Airlines.

"Iberia has achieved its brand value growth by adapting quickly to the Covid-19 disruption, and the Spanish airline is also building a new strategic partnership with Spanish oil producer Cepsa to decarbonise air transport and deliver sustainable fuel for air travel," the report said.

Brand Finance also calculates the relative strength of brands through a scorecard evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity and business performance.

Canadian airline WestJet is the strongest airline brand in the world, with a Brand Strength Index of 84 out of 100 and a corresponding AAA-brand rating, Brand Finance said.

WestJet's brand value is up 22 per cent to $600m, the report showed.

"The Canadian airline has strengthened its brand identity across Canada with the addition of 24 new routes across the nation, leading to Canadian customers feeling an increased affinity with the brand," the report said.

"The brand is steadily recovering from the impact of Covid-19 and is now operating more than 500 departures per day for the first time since the pandemic nadir."

Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club race card

5pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic (PA) Prestige; Dh110,000; 1,400m
5.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic (PA) Prestige; Dh110,000; 1,400m
6pm: Maiden (PA); Dh80,000; 1,600m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (PA) Listed; Dh180,000; 1,600m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap; Dh70,000; 2,200m
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Company%20Profile
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  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
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  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
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  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company

The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.

He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.

“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.

“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.

HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon. 

With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.

'The worst thing you can eat'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines: 

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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Name: Kumulus Water
 
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Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
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Investment raised: $4 million 
Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Updated: June 02, 2022, 10:23 AM