The Dubai Air Show began with a notable absentee: Qatar Airways, which since June has been banned from flying to, from or over the UAE as part of a wider geo-political row. Many of the Airbus A320s grounded because they cannot fly to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain or Egypt have been seen the UK this summer, flying for British Airways during a cabin-crew strike by members of the Unite union and part of the Monarch Airlines rescue airlift.

But the two rival UAE airlines, Emirate and Etihad, are locked in a battle for passengers with the carrier funded by the Qatari state and run by Akbar Al Baker — and seeing their financial performances slump as competition and external threats intensify.

Emirates is the oldest, biggest and most successful of the “Middle East 3” as the trio is known. It stole the show on the opening day of the air show on its home turf with an order for 40 new Boeings and a new First Class suite. 

Relative to its smaller rivals, though, Emirates is performing remarkably well. Qatar Airways is expecting to lose money this year — largely because of the row with its Gulf neighbours, who accuse Qatar of supporting extremist groups.

A reciprocal overflight ban by Qatar on aircraft from the countries which have imposed the restrictions is not having a significant effect on the operations of Etihad and Emirates.