DUBAI- Remaining faithful to Boeing as it has been since its inception, Flydubai (FZ) has opted for the Boeing 787 to extend its reach and enhance capacity by placing an order for 30 units of the Dreamliner in November 2023.
Flydubai played a prominent role at the Arabian Travel Market held in Dubai from May 6 to 9.
Photo: flydubaiFlydubai 787 Routes
Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai told The Flight Club,
“The primary objective of the Boeing 787 will be to extend our reach into new markets. I envision destinations like London in Europe, Bangkok in Thailand, and even Australia, which the Dreamliners will empower us to access due to their remarkable range. Additionally, we intend to deploy them to bolster capacity in areas of robust demand.”
Regarding the in-flight experience, “it is highly likely that, unlike all our other aircraft, the Dreamliners will feature not two, but three classes, potentially including the introduction of a premium economy cabin.”
This move would enable Flydubai to better align its offerings with Emirates (EK), which is gradually introducing premium economy on an increasing number of Airbus A380s, with which Flydubai has a codeshare agreement across all its routes.
The CEO revealed that he cannot provide more precise details regarding routes and onboard amenities because, as he explained, “it would be premature, and besides, we are uncertain whether Boeing can meet the 2026 deadline due to the delivery delays it is currently facing. Therefore, our primary focus is on ensuring that we receive the new aircraft by a specific date before delving into other considerations.”
Photo: flydubaiFZ Booth at Arabian Travel Market
Within the flydubai booth, which was among the largest in the expansive pavilion dedicated to Middle Eastern tourism, the airline showcased its offerings in terms of seating aboard its Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
This included highlighting the new lie-flat seats that have been installed in Business Class on 8 out of its 29 Boeing 737-800s (in addition to its fleet of 57 Boeing 737 MAXs).
The retrofitting process will extend to most of these 29 aircraft, including Economy Class, where all seats will be equipped with individual screens for in-flight entertainment.
The booth also featured an ‘upper deck’ area, accessible only to guests (such as The Flight Club), where Gaith, the CEO at Gaith, engaged with the press to discuss upcoming developments expected between now and 2026.
Photo: flydubaiNew Business Class Suites Rollout
Among Flydubai’s anticipated enhancements, business class suites were initially announced a year ago with plans for introduction in early 2024, a timeline which was ultimately postponed.
During a briefing at the Arabian Travel Market, Gaith Al Gaith, who has been at the helm of the company since its inception in 2008, announced a one-year delay in the debut of the suites, now scheduled for the first quarter of 2025. This delay was attributed to challenges in sourcing materials and seat deliveries.
These suites represent Business Class 3.0 for Flydubai, a significant evolution from its original all-economy configuration when it commenced operations in 2009 as ‘the low-cost airline of Emirates.’
Initially, Flydubai introduced Business 1.0, featuring recliners in a 2-2 layout, with 12 seats installed on part of its fleet, consisting primarily of B737-800s, by 2013. Subsequently, with the arrival of the MAX (-8 and -9) in 2017, Business 2.0 was introduced, featuring 10 lie-flat seats on the MAX 8 and 16 on the MAX 9, akin to JetBlue’s Mint Class domestic first class.
The forthcoming suites represent a significant leap in comfort and privacy, featuring a 1-1 configuration and each suite equipped with a door. Developed in collaboration with Safran Seats and JPA Design, these suites will also include a 17-inch video screen with Bluetooth capability for personal inflight entertainment.
Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – FlyDubai, A6-FMA, Boeing 737-8 MAX, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7404979828 737 MAX to Feature New Suites
Flydubai’s CEO revealed plans to equip a total of 28 MAX aircraft with these suites, primarily for longer routes to Southeast Asia and Europe. Milan is likely to be among the first European destinations to feature the new product due to its distance from Dubai and status as the sole metropolitan destination served in Europe.
Flydubai currently operates to 125 destinations with a fleet of 86 aircraft, including 54 Boeing 737 MAX 8, 3 Boeing 737 MAX 9, and 29 Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
However, significant changes are on the horizon, with plans for a major fleet and network overhaul commencing in 2026 with the introduction of wide-body aircraft.
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Flydubai Orders 30 New Boeing 787 for the First Time
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