Flydubai is ready to grow in a new direction. The carrier will add wide-body aircraft to its fleet for the first time, with an order for 30 787-9 Dreamliners announced at the 2023 Dubai Air Show.
Today’s order reaffirms flydubai’s commitment to enabling more people to travel across its expanding network. The highly fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner will allow flydubai to expand its horizon and cater to the growing demand on existing routes.
– His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of flydubai
The carrier operates 79 737s today, with an order backlog of 137 more MAX to be delivered. With the new aircraft the carrier has the opportunity to expand capacity in markets where frequencies are limited. It can also fly further, though flydubai is no stranger to long routes on the 737 MAX.
Indeed, flydubai operates a dedicated subfleet of 737s equipped with multiple models of flat bed seats, showing it knows how to cater to passengers on the longer trips. With the 787s it can now add more beds on board in markets where the premium demand is strong. The Dreamliner also opens up significant additional cargo capacity for the carrier, with the opportunity to integrate seamlessly with the Emirates Cargo operations at Dubai.
Flydubai operates as a standalone airline today, but also integrated into Emirates’ operations. Their loyalty programs are the same, they codeshare heavily with each other, and passengers can transfer between the two relatively seamlessly at Dubai International Airport. They also already overlap service at more than 30 destinations across Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Adding the 787 to its fleet gives flydubai the opportunity to increase the range of those overlaps. It could also see the carrier replace Emirates in some markets, depending on demand and other conditions.
Adding the 787 to the flydubai fleet increases complexity for the “regional” operator while potentially eroding some Emirates markets. On the surface that seems counterintuitive. Presumably, however, there are significant operating cost savings by running the twin-aisle planes with flydubai crew rather than Emirates’. And given the common base at DXB, maintenance and spare parts challenges should be relatively minimal.
More news from the 2023 Dubai Air Show
- Emirates boosts long-haul fleet with mega order
- flydubai spreads its wings with 787 order
- AirBaltic to double A220 fleet
- Safran snags massive contract for Emirates fleet fittings
- Ethiopian targets major growth with Boeing, Airbus orders in Dubai
- Airbus hits 125 aircraft commitment milestone for HBCplus Ka-band connectivity
- Egyptair taps Panasonic Avionics for IFE/C on new A350 fleet
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