Over the next 18 months, Dubai's Emirates airlines and flydubai will be working together to bring the airlines under one unit, said a report.

“We are minded to accelerate a greater joining of the hip, of what we do, there’s a lot of work going on there to extract value for the shareholder,” Emirates President Tim Clark said at the Paris Airshow.

The push by their state owner comes amid pressure on profits at both airlines, siad a report in Aviation Business ME.

The carriers currently have an interline agreement allowing their passengers to connect between each other's flights, the report said.

The move could open up slots for Emirates, said Clark and likely delay the move to Dubai World Central, Dubai's second airport, to "sometime between 2026 to 2030," he added.