Tag Archives: flydubai

As part of the month-long celebrations for flydubai’s 10th anniversary the flydubai team came together on June 18, 2019 at Reel Cinemas in Dubai Mall for a preview of the story of how flydubai changed the way people travel around the region.  At the event, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of flydubai, said, “Over the last 10 years, we have carried more than 70 million passengers, introduced new and under-explored destinations and brought people closer to share experiences and opportunities. We remain as determined as we have always been to bridge the distance between people and in doing so enrich their lives.” The airline shared the flydubai Story with its employees first recognising the contribution they have made to the success of the airline. Reflecting on the remarkable journey over the last 10 years, Ghaith, continued, “We began operations as a low-cost carrier to allow more people to travel to more places more often, however our real aim was to improve accessible air travel for over 2.5 billion people within the flydubai network. This has seen the airline evolve, introducing Business Class and refining our product offering without compromising our operational integrity. Today, we offer our customers value beyond the fare, ensuring opportunities are within reach of everyone, everywhere we fly.” Having shared the flydubai Story with colleagues, flydubai is today sharing it with those who have been brought together by choosing to flydubai over the last 10 years. Ghaith, outlining the formula for the airline’s achievements, said, “At flydubai we put our customers at the heart of everything we do. Our commitment remains to open new and underserved destinations to ensure our network complements and enhances Dubai as a hub …

flydubai inaugurated its new service to Naples, becoming the first UAE national carrier to offer direct flights from Dubai. The new route is codeshared with Emirates and gives passengers access to more than 200 destinations worldwide on the combined network. With up to five flights a week, Naples becomes flydubai’s second destination in Italy after it launched flights to Sicily’s Catania last year. Onboard the flight was a senior delegation led by Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai and Thierry Aucoc,  Senior Vice President, Commerical Operations, Europe, Russian Federation and Latin America at Emirates, together with representatives from the regional media. On arrival in Naples, the delegation was met by Roberto Barbieri, CEO of Naples Airport and Margherita Chiaramonte, Business Aviation Development Director, Naples Airport. Commenting on the occasion, Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai said, “We are delighted to be flying to Naples, the second destination we have launched in Italy in a year. It is another example of flydubai’s decade long commitment towards opening up underserved markets and giving those in Italy more opportunities to benefit from direct flights to Dubai and beyond on our network. We look forward to the increased opportunities for trade and tourism that this new route will bring.” “Through our codeshare partnership, Emirates’ customers from across our global network, particularly from key inbound markets such as Australia, Japan and China, will now also be able to easily access Naples, while local travellers in the Naples region can connect seamlessly from their flydubai flight to Emirates flights at our Dubai hub to popular destinations such as Thailand, Australia, Egypt and China,” said Thierry Aucoc, …

The first flight took off from Dubai to Beirut 10 years ago in 2009, marking a new chapter in aviation in the history of the United Arab Emirates; today 10 years later flydubai celebrates a milestone carrying over 70 million passengers in its short span of operations. Commenting on the 10th year anniversary of the start of flydubai’s operations, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of flydubai, said, “For many years the Government of Dubai recognised the need for another carrier to serve our country. In 2009, we were able to achieve this thanks to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. flydubai was launched with a mandate to open new markets and make travel more accessible to more people. I am happy to see flydubai deliver on that commitment which has seen the airline connect 71 previously underserved cities to Dubai allowing a population of 1.5 billion easier access to one of the world’s leading aviation hubs.” HE Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, said, “The UAE is leading on the global air transport front and the aviation sector has been a major contributor to the overall national economy. The sector has successfully enabled the creation of an attractive environment for trade, investment and tourism to flourish.” Reflecting on the last 10 years and looking to the years ahead, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of flydubai, said, “flydubai’s commitment to making travel more convenient and more affordable has only grown stronger over the past 10 years. We are pleased to see that more than 70 million passengers …

Dubai-based flydubai announced the start of flights to Sochi, Russia. Flights between Dubai and Sochi will operate twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays, starting from  June 7, 2019. flydubai will be the first carrier to offer direct flights on this route from the UAE and the GCC. Commenting on the occasion, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of flydubai, said, “Russia is an important market for flydubai and we are pleased to announce the new direct flights to Sochi which will support the growing flow of travel, trade and tourism between the two countries.” flydubai has been operating in the Russian market since 2010 and offers passengers from the UAE and the combined flydubai and Emirates network, easier access to Moscow and other major Russian cities like Yekaterinburg. Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, added, “We are confident that our high quality and reliable service and the convenience of these direct flights, together with the recent changes in visa requirements for Russians and UAE nationals visiting both countries, will make this resort city located on Russia’s Black Sea Coast a popular choice for passengers.” Sochi is one of the major touristic hubs in Russia located on the Black Sea, popular for its beaches, forests and Caucasus Mountains, as well as for hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics and being home to some of the best facilities for winter sports. Asiet Zhukova, Vice President of Tour Operator Group WOWSOCHI, said, “The new flydubai service offers travellers from the UAE and around the world a more convenient option to reach Sochi and get a chance to explore this year long popular destination in Russia.” flydubai will operate …

Emirates has resumed its operations to Zagreb for summer, serving the route until October 26, 2019. Its partner airline, flydubai will then begin to operate during the winter season. The strategic partnership between both airlines ensures capacity is deployed to best serve customer demand. Flight EK 129 will depart Dubai at 8:30 and arrive in Zagreb at 12:35 local time, utilising a Boeing 777-300ER. The return flight, EK 130 will depart Zagreb at 15:25 and arrive in Dubai at 23:00 local time. Due to the planned upgrade works on the southern runway at DXB from April 16 until May 30, 2019, Emirates’ flights to Zagreb will operate four times weekly on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. From May 31, 2019 onwards, the route will be operated as a daily service. Emirates’ daily service to Zagreb will operate in a three-class configuration with eight lie-flat seats in First Class, 42 seats in Business Class and 304 spacious seats in Economy Class. Passengers across all cabins can enjoy the airline’s 4,000 channels of in-flight entertainment, complimentary beverages and regionally inspired meals. They can also stay connected to family and friends during the flight with up to 20MB of complementary Wi-Fi. Known for its impressive 18th century architecture, Zagreb is a city with an extremely rich history and culture. Located in the northwest of the country – visitors can discover the upper and lower town areas that hold some of the world’s most iconic cathedrals and museums. Travellers can also discover popular Croatian cities located on the Dalmatian Coast, such as Split and Dubrovnik. Emirates’ partner airline, flydubai, offers travellers flight options to Dubrovnik twice a week on Sunday and Thursday. Flight FZ 719 …

flydubai inaugurated its new service from Dubai to Tashkent becoming the first carrier based in the UAE to offer direct flights to Uzbekistan.  The inaugural flight departed on March 11 from Terminal 3, Dubai International (DXB) and was welcomed on arrival at Tashkent International Airport (TAS). On board the inaugural flight was a senior delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) led by H.E. Eng. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Minister of Economy in the UAE. The trade delegation included the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, other business entities and members of the UAE media.  On arrival at Tashkent, the delegation was received by Shuhrat Vafaev, Deputy Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan and Mohammed Al Mehairbi, H.E. Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the UAE to Uzbekistan. H.E. Eng. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, UAE Minister of Economy, emphasized on the importance of this step, further pointing out that the country maintains a leading position in the global air transport map and serves as an important centre for enhancing global connectivity through its sophisticated international airports and air carriers with world-class reputation and a wide network of destinations. Commenting on the occasion, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of flydubai, said, “Uzbekistan is an important trade partner for the UAE and the start of flights to Tashkent represents a significant milestone in helping to strengthen commercial ties between us.  We are pleased to be the first UAE carrier to launch direct flights between Dubai and Tashkent, opening up another underserved market in Central Asia and supporting Dubai’s vision of creating flows of travel and trade.”

flydubai is set to start flights to Tashkent from March 11, 2019. The five-times weekly service between Dubai and Tashkent will become a daily operation from May 31, 2019. Business Class return fares from Dubai to Tashkent start at AED 7,500 (USD 1,785) and are inclusive of all taxes with 40 kg checked baggage, meals and in-flight entertainment. Economy Class return fares from Dubai to Tashkent start at AED 1,545 (USD 420) including 20 kg checked baggage and a meal. The carrier will operate the new route with one of its brand-new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft from Terminal 3 of Dubai International (DXB). The new cabin features a flat-bed in Business Class and in addition to the extra space and privacy, passengers can sleep comfortably during their flight. Economy Class offers new RECARO seats designed to optimise space and comfort so that passengers can sit back, relax and enjoy their flight. Commenting on the launch of flights to Tashkent, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer, flydubai, said, “we are pleased to become the first UAE national carrier to offer direct flights to Tashkent, strengthening ties between the UAE and Uzbekistan via these new direct air links. This creates opportunities for further development of tourism and trade flows and is in line with our commitment to opening up previously underserved markets and offering more travel options to fly to Dubai and beyond.” Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President—Commercial Operations and E-commerce, flydubai, said, “We hope the new route will be a popular choice for passengers travelling from Dubai and the GCC looking for new hidden gems within a short flying distance from our hub in Dubai.”

The strategic partnership between Emirates and flydubai continues to open up the world for travellers since its launch 14 months ago, and is set to grow even further in 2019 with new codeshare destinations to be added. The partnership, which came into effect at the end of October 2017, has since delivered a number of benefits to both airlines’ customers, such as offering greater global connectivity through more destination choices, flexibility with flight options when planning trips, one integrated loyalty programme and the convenience of travelling on a single ticket with seamless point to point baggage handling. Through the codeshare partnership, Emirates’ customers can access 67 additional destinations through flydubai’s network, while flydubai’s customers have 115 additional destinations they can travel to on Emirates’ network. “The partnership between Emirates and flydubai has not only delivered tangible benefits to our collective customers but also to both airlines in terms of the synergies that come with working closely together. For example, reducing route overlaps and the realignment of schedules to common destinations. In addition, the partnership has also helped to further strengthen Dubai’s position as a leading global aviation hub with the increase in traffic flows resulting from the two airlines’ codeshare network, and by enabling smooth and seamless connections for customers through the city’s modern and comfortable international airport,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Group and Chairman, flydubai. During 2019, the network of codeshare flights will be further expanded, with the launch of new flydubai destinations like Naples and Budapest, as well as several others that will be announced in due course. flydubai flights to Chittagong will also restart from January 20, while …

Set to be held from April 30 to May 1, CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa 2019 is expected to bring together airline specialists, aviation authorities, tourism boards, airports and tour operators, as well as other travel-related industry professionals. Fourteen airlines have already confirmed their participation at CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa – co-located with Arabian Travel Market 2019 and taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre. Senior network planning teams from Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, Air Arabia, Air Asia, EgyptAir, flyadeal, Ethiopian Airlines, Global Airways, Atlas Global, Germania, Mahan Air, Royal Air Maroc and Titan Airways will attend the inaugural route development forum. Throughout 2018, GCC airlines have added 58 new flight routes – focusing on areas of consistent and substantial growth – according to research from Colliers International – based on a sample of 10 airlines including Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, Salaam Air, Oman Air, Gulf Air, Saudia, flyadeal, Air Arabia and IndiGo airlines. Karin Butot, CEO, The Airport Agency, said, “2018 has been an exciting year for new flight routes both to and from the GCC, underscoring Dubai as the ideal location to bring together professionals from the aviation and tourism industry for the inaugural CONNECT Middle East, India and Africa forum. With up to 400 delegates, CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa 2019 will include unlimited one-to-one pre-scheduled appointments, a conference programme, panel discussions and airline and  industry briefings as well as an exhibition area dedicated to airports and suppliers.” Nick Pilbeam, Divisional Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, said, “It is an ideal base for exploring some of the world’s most interesting and previously inaccessible corners of the world. And the GCC’s airlines are making it even easier with the …

flydubai has announced the launch of direct flights to Kozhikode in Kerala, India. The three-times weekly service from Dubai International (DXB) to Kozhikode Calicut International Airport (CCJ) will start from February 1, 2019. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer, flydubai, commenting on the new announcement, said, “We have always been proud of the strong ties between India and the UAE. We have seen a stronger flow of trade and tourism between the two countries over the past few years. In 2017, India became the first source market to top 2 million annual visitors representing an impressive 15 per cent year-on-year increase in total number of visitors to Dubai. We are grateful for the support we have received from the Indian authorities and we remain committed to serving the market. We look forward to more opportunities to strengthen the airlinks between the two countries in the future.” Commenting on the announcement, Sudhir Sreedharan, Senior Vice President, Commercial (UAE, GCC, Subcontinent and Africa), flydubai, said, “We are pleased to add Kozhikode to our network of eight destinations in India, offering greater connectivity and an unrivalled travel experience to our passengers in India. The new route will provide more passengers from India with access to Dubai and beyond via its aviation hub together with the new codeshare agreement.”