flydubai will suspend its operations with effect from March 26, 2020 at 23:59 (UAE time) until April 9, 2020 at 23:59 (UAE Time) as part of the precautionary measures being implemented in response to COVID-19, following the announcement from the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) and the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The NCEMA contingency plan, benchmarking of industry best-practice and international guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHP) and Dubai Health Authority (DHA) provided the framework for flydubai’s own response plans to COVID-19. A number of working groups have been set up across the airline to support its operations for both its passengers and employees.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of flydubai, said, “Our operational focus may be changing in the short term but the work continues. We have reallocated internal resources to critical business needs, including the highest levels of customer support and care of our fleet, which has seen the activation of a large-scale maintenance and care programme to ensure that all our grounded aircraft are attended to at the highest international standards. We are seeing this period as an opportunity to recalibrate our business and our unrelenting focus is now on laying the groundwork, together, for a smooth full return to service in due course.”
He added, “Since the beginning of March, we have received more than 80,000 customer enquiries. Our customer engagement team is working hard to respond to this unprecedented number of enquiries that we have received. They are supported by members of staff from different teams who have been deployed to ensure that all our customers receive a reply. My thoughts are particularly with those who have loved ones affected directly by COVID-19.”