“The instability in the market over the past six months has put Emirates to the test, and once again we have risen to the challenge,” His Highness says of the company’s profits.

Hard work and dedication to remaining on track continues to drive-up Emirates’ profits, according to the airline group’s head.

The UAE carrier posted a 68 percent rise in net profit for the first six months of the current fiscal year, with US$575 million, up from US$343 million made during the same period 2011.

Group revenue also picked up by 16 percent year-on-year, to US$10.4 billion while cash position remained strong at US$4.1 billion, compared to US$4.8 billion during the same six months last year.

Emirates Group chief executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said increases in business occurred despite fundamental challenges, including the rising cost of fuel and a “precarious marketplace”.

“The instability in the market over the past six months has put Emirates to the test, and once again we have risen to the challenge, our results speak for themselves,” he explained.

“We have continued to invest in the infrastructure of both Emirates and dnata and it continues to pay off.”

In line with profit and business increases, Emirates announced its employee base had jumped by eight percent over the six months, to nearly 68,000 staff employed to work with the carrier.

Earlier this month, Emirates chief executive Tim Clark told media he was behind Qantas’ decision to team-up with the UAE airline and expects the Australian flag carrier to experience a big turnaround over the coming year.