Actor Madhavan admires the company that just paid two and half months of extra salary to employees despite challenging times

Actor R Madhavan who often delights fans with inspirational, offbeat and interesting social media updates has returned with another insightful Instagram post. The actor has re-shared a positive account on his Instagram Stories, featuring The Emirates Group, cheering for the a state-owned Dubai-based international aviation company for its milestone achievement in recent times. For the unversed, on May 7, 2026, the Emirates Group surprised employees with a remarkable 20-week salary bonus following a record-breaking performance in the fiscal year 2025-26, despite the US-Israel-Iran war, which heavily impacted the Middle East aviation.

Emirates’ record profits, revenue and cash reserves fuel historic bonus

The offical X-handle of the Emirates announced that the company has exceeded the 13-week payout, attaining historic highs in net profits, revenues, and cash balances, a feat which seems to have impressed R Madhavan as well.


In a deeply emotional message, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, expressed his gratitude towards his employees for the historic earnings, as per a report by the Khaleej Times. The post revealed that despite navigating one of the most disruptive periods in the company’s history, Emirates delivered its strongest financial results to date.


The airline reported a record profit before tax of US$ 6.2 billion (AED 22.8 billion), marking a 7 per cent increase compared to the previous year and achieving a profit margin of 17.4 per cent. Revenue climbed to an all-time high of US$ 35.7 billion (AED 130.9 billion), while cash assets surged to a record US$ 15 billion (AED 54.9 billion), reflecting a 10 per cent increase over March 31, 2025. These figures reinforced Emirates’ position as one of the world's most successful aviation groups and helped the carrier retain its title as the most profitable airline globally.


In his note to employees, Sheikh Ahmed acknowledged the immense difficulties faced during the final month of the financial year. Referring to the regional crisis and the operational disruptions that followed, he stated that while the events of March 2026 would eventually fade from memory, the courage, determination, resilience and unwavering commitment displayed by employees would never be forgotten.

Sheikh Ahmed praises Emirates staff amid crisis

The chairman explained that the financial year unfolded in two contrasting phases. During the first 11 months, Emirates successfully advanced key strategic priorities and growth initiatives. However, from March 1 onwards, the organisation suddenly found itself confronting an unprecedented crisis that required urgent action to restore operations at its Dubai hub. Despite the disruption, Emirates ended the year by breaking nearly every financial record in its history, achieving all-time highs in profit, revenue and cash reserves.

Sheikh Ahmed further acknowledged that even the company’s sophisticated contingency plans were tested by the scale of operational and safety challenges. Nevertheless, remaining passive was never considered an option. He emphasised that thousands of travellers, families, businesses and communities relied on Emirates to return home, manage emergencies and transport essential goods during the crisis.

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He also praised the UAE leadership for prioritising public safety and enabling the creation of a secure air corridor that allowed operations to resume gradually. According to Sheikh Ahmed, teams across Emirates and dnata mobilised rapidly, helping stabilise services and restore momentum. By March 31, Emirates had returned to operating 58 per cent of its flight capacity, while cargo teams worked tirelessly to deliver critical supplies across the UAE and the wider region.

Looking ahead, Sheikh Ahmed struck an optimistic tone while responding to critics who questioned Dubai’s resilience. He asserted that predictions of decline had surfaced before and had consistently been proven wrong. While acknowledging the challenges such as regional instability, supply chain disruptions, rising fuel prices and increasing insurance costs, he expressed confidence in the company’s ability to overcome obstacles. He assured that Emirates would soon return to normal flight schedules while continuing aircraft deliveries and advancing its ambitious fleet retrofit programme.