Emirates (EK, Dubai International) CEO Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum says his airline will continue operating its controversial Milan Malpensa to New York JFK route pending the outcome of its appeal to an Italian high court.

In mid-April, an Italian administrative court ruled in favour of Assaereo, an association that represents Alitalia (AZA, Rome Fiumicino) and other Italian airlines, which had argued that the Italian civil aviation authority (L'Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile - ENAC) had erred in giving Emirates the right to use Milan as a stopover.

The ruling was later suspended by the Italian Council of State pending the outcome of the Emirati carrier's appeal, due sometime before May 2015.