flydubai carried over 3.37 million passengers in the Q1 of 2023 recording an increase of over 50% and flew over 25,800 flights as compared to the same time last year. The airline also plans on ramping its operations by 20% across its network to meet the rising demand.
It will include flights to St Petersburg in Russia, Pattaya and Krabi in Thailand, Al Qaisumah, Al Ula, Gizan, Nejran and Neom in Saudi Arabia, Shymkent in Kazakhstan, Ashgabat in Turkmenistan, Mogadishu in Somalia and Milan-Bergamo in Italy.
Ghaith Al Ghait, Chief Executive Office, flydubai, said: “We continue to grow our network, launching operations to new underserved routes and adding capacity on existing routes. We have seen a very strong performance since the start of the year, which is a clear reflection of Dubai’s position as a global hub for trade and travel and resilience in the face of economic challenges.”
The airline is looking forward to its busiest summer on record with added capacity and new routes.
“We are well positioned to cater to the surge in demand for travel and are committed to offering our passengers more options and reliable services. We also expect good inbound traffic to Dubai as our city has long moved away from its seasonal offering to being an attractive year-round destination,” Al Ghait added.
The airline steadily grew its fleet of Boeing 737 to 76 aircraft serving its expanding route network. The airline is also planning an aggressive recruitment drive to add more talented individuals to its workforce which will allow more talented individuals to join the company, including its air and ground crew.
Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer, flydubai, said: “We are pleased to see our operations reach new heights with nine destinations joining our network this summer. This includes popular destinations such as Bodrum, Dubrovnik, Mykonos, Santorini, and Tivat and new destinations including Corfu in Greece and Cagliari in Sicily.”
“We will also increase the flight frequency on a number of routes including Krabi, Milan-Bergamo, Pattaya, and Pisa to name a few which have proven very popular for travelers from the UAE and across our network,” Obaidalla added.
Meanwhile the airline is reportedly in talks with both Airbus and Boeing for a new order by the end of 2023. According to sources, the airline even though being an all-Boeing operator is also interested in Airbus A320 for its fleet expansion.
“We are working very closely to try and sign some deals, hopefully by the Dubai Airshow,” Al Ghaith said. “At the end of the day, the aircraft manufacturing market is so competitive, it’s a seller’s market right now […] I would love to do something by the end of the year, hopefully before the air show.”