All industries experienced disruption in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but for the aviation industry it was an unprecedented crisis.
“Heartbreaking” is how the group chief executive of Etihad Airways, Tony Douglas, described the moment the airline’s entire fleet was completey grounded on March 23, in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.
However, “it was absolutely the right thing to do”, said Mr Douglas, who has more than three decades of experience in the aviation industry.
Covid-19 has "eclipsed" all other crises faced by the sector because of the impact that it has had, he said.
In the last of the seven-part series of conversations for the My 2020 podcast, with leaders on the impact of Covid-19, Mr Douglas spoke of how the aviation industry has changed – and will have to continue to change.
He said there are so many negatives in 2020 but “you can learn an awful lot from negatives”.
He said that for Etihad, lockdown “gave us an opportunity to do a number of things that would have taken a lot longer and perhaps would have been more difficult”, including “Project Cabin ... surgical cleansing of every one of our aircraft and the biggest maintenance programme in Etihad’s history”.
As Covid-19 developed into a global health crisis, Mr Douglas said it became increasingly clear that leaders had to handle a "certain degree of ambiguity".
He added "the one thing you can't create is what I would describe as false certainty”.
Mr Douglas addressed the “hardest decision” he had to make in this difficult year, and that was “having to make some downsizing decisions within the [Etihad] family”.
He added “There have been announcements almost on a daily basis, from airlines all around the world, in regard to a fight for survival, and the need, therefore, to adjust size and posture. And of course, we're not immune to that [and] we've had to take responsible decisions”.
As Etihad reassessed its overall strategy, it has adjusted to become “a mid-sized carrier”.
Mr Douglas explained that means “we'll concentrate on the high performing new aircraft fleet that we've got, and making sure basically, we play the long game now.
"The byproduct of that is we have had to let many members of the Etihad family leave us ... and these people have been [making] outstanding contributions to our business.
"This was not of their making. And quite frankly, they didn't deserve it. But in order to preserve the business, in order to preserve the position where we can come out of this stronger through the other side, it was a necessary thing to do.”
Mr Douglas made clear the difficulty of this decision “because every one of these people that put their heart and their soul in supporting Etihad. These people all have families and personal tragedies were impacting many people at the same time”.
Looking to 2021, Mr Douglas said airlines had to continue to be agile and able to deal with the inevitable uncertainty facing the world. However, he said that he hoped “2021 will allow us to give a little bit more positive direction of how we're going to recover during next year”.
My 2020 is a seven-part series, hosted by Mina Al-Oraibi, The National's Editor-in-Chief, who speaks to leaders on how their lives and industries have been altered by Covid-19.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Results:
2.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: AZ Dhabyan, Adam McLean (jockey), Saleha Al Ghurair (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
3.15pm: Conditions (PA) Dh60,000 2,000m.
Winner: Hareer Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
3.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,700m.
Winner: Kenz Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
4.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh 200,000 1,700m.
Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
4.45pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m.
Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
