FlyDubai Airlines

  About Flydubai

Flydubai or legally referred to as Dubai Aviation Corporation is a government-owned low-cost carrier in Dubai. The airline has its head office located in Terminal 2 of Dubai International Airport. Even the flight operations take place from Terminal 2 of the airport. Currently, the airline majorly serves Asia, Africa, Middle East and European cities from Dubai. It has about 95 destinations under its wing and offers excellent connectivity at a lower ticket cost. The airline came into existence in 2008 after the government of Dubai founded it. flydubai is not officially a part of the Emirates Group, but the conglomerate did support the young airline in the initial stages of establishment. Following its genesis, flydubai made its first form order with the American aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, at the Farnborough Air Show. They ordered for 50 Boeing 737-800s which valued up to USD3.74 billion. The airline did receive an option to tweak the order for a longer and larger range Boeing 737-900ER. The following year, the airline's received its order, and scheduled flights kicked off in the first half. These flights connected to Middle Eastern cities of Beirut in Lebanon and Amman in Jordan.

The domestic and international route network of flydubai has since expanded significantly. In 2013, flydubai announced that it would be introducing business-class services to all its flights. This would feature a 12-seated cabin with an aisle and window, three-course meals, access to the business class lounge, fine Italian leather seats as well as access to a plethora of entertainment content with power outlets that are suitable for plug points of over 170 countries. The airline has claimed tremendous financial loss, following the growth of Boeing Max 737 aircraft. CEO of flydubai, Ghaith Al-Ghaith claimed that an interim settlement agreement had been made with Boeing to compensate for some of the losses incurred by the airline due to the aircraft company. Details of the agreement have been kept confidential, but flydubai had a severe setback with more than 220 orders put to a halt. The airline does plan to get out of this conundrum and continue their quest for world domination by providing world-class services and hospitality on their flights.

Founded as a venture of the Government of Dubai, the airline received some help from its sister concern, The Emirates Group, before eventually running an independent show. As part of their expansion plans, flydubai set up a centre in Hyderabad, India called Indian Development Centre, to cater to the airline's IT and technology innovations with respect to Passenger Service Systems (PSS). IDC is a software hub that is intended to explore further the fields of software development, research and operations. With flexible fares and world-class in-flight services received on flydubai, it has managed to reach a comfortable position in the global aviation industry.

Fleet size of Flydubai

As of 2019, flydubai's fleet comprises of 54 aircraft, all from the Boeing 737 family. Currently, the airline has about 40 Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 11 Boeing 737 MAX 8. Additionally, they have ordered for 50 Boeing 737 MAX 10 and plan to replace Boeing 737-800 wholly. In 2013, flydubai announced that they would be committing to acquire about 100 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and 111 Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft in their fleet. The same was announced at the Dubai Airshow. The deal was valued at USD 11.4 billion, making it the largest ever purchase for Boeing single-aisle airliner, in the Middle-East. The airline made a final order of 75 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and 11 Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft in 2014. They also received purchase rights for 25 of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The entire order valued at USD 8.8 billion. In 2017, the airline received its first delivery of Boeing 737 MAX 8 and became the first airline in the Middle East to accommodate and operate the aircraft. At the 2017 Dubai Air Show, flydubai signed a massive deal of receiving 175 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft with purchase rights to 50 of the aircraft.

Flydubai Baggage Allowance

Flydubai's baggage allowance standards are similar to the ones followed by major airlines in the world. Depending on the fare and ticket type selected by the traveller, the baggage allowance would differ. For the business class passengers, the checked baggage allowance is up to three pieces of baggage which should collectively weigh not more than 40 kg. Beyond the weight allocated, the airline will charge excessive fees and will also depend on the space the airline can accommodate in the flight. The dimensions of the bag are also important and must be followed. The maximum dimension for the baggage should not exceed 75 x 55 x 35cm. Interestingly, the economy class also follows a similar baggage allowance as the number of luggage includes up to three pieces. However, you will need to make prior payments for the bags. The maximum weight for checked baggage ranges from 20 kg to 40 kg. The maximum dimension for the baggage is also 75 x 55 x 35cm. The checked baggage also has some specific guidelines that the airline recommends that the passengers follow. The same can be found on their website.

As for hand luggage, flydubai's baggage allowance includes one bag for economy class and two for business class. The weight of the bags should not exceed seven kg each. The dimension should also not exceed 55 x 38 x 20 cm. It is imperative that the passenger follows the said protocol as the baggage needs to fit in the overhead bin. Along with the cabin luggage, the airline also allows one bag to be carried that can pose as a laptop bag, purse or handbag. These bags can include important documents such as business papers, passports, securities, jewellery, precious metals, money and other valuable items.

flydubai In-flight services

Business-class - flydubai's in-flight services for Business Class is as fancy as it can get. The airline proposes a superior experience for passengers starting from arrival at the airport to when onboard. The business class seats in the airline's Boeing 737-800 aircraft are spacious and comfortable as opposed to the ones that can be found on economy class. The seats are wider and offer better legroom for travellers to relax better. The Italian-crafted leather seating makes for a comfortable journey. Not to mention the seats can be reclined at a convenient pitch to allow the passenger to sleep well. Business-class of flydubai also has WiFi packages that will enable you to stay connected to the world while you are miles up in the sky. You can work on your emails and other office-related work without having to miss out on anything. The seat can easily be turned into a work station. Other in-flight services on flydubai include a personal 12-1-inch screen that is loaded with entertainment content. There are the latest TV shows, movies and other online content to keep you entertained through your journey. You can also choose from an array of meals and snacks available on the flight which have been inspired by global cuisine.

Economy class - Economy class is ergonomically comfortable with designs and layouts that work towards a good experience for the passengers. The seats do offer good legroom, which enables you to stretch out and relax. In fact, you will be allowed to choose seats with extra legroom too. The same can be availed on the website of flydubai. The airline offers a variety of meals and snacks to choose from in-flight. Further, the airline also offers beverages. However, the passenger will need to make prior booking for meals online. The airline's customer centre or their website will help you place the order for in-flight meals. The seats are also connected with HD screens to cater to the entertainment quotient for passengers. The system has more than 2,000 hours of entertainment with the latest TV shows, movies, games, music and more. Further, the economy class is also equipped with WiFi systems to help passengers continue with their professional commitments. The WiFi packages can be purchased on board, and you can access the internet on your phone as well as your laptop.

Popular routes and top cities for flydubai

flydubai operates in more than 90 destinations that cater to domestic routes as well as international routes. The most popular cities that the airline connects to is Mumbai, Kochi, Manama, Addis Ababa, Dhaka, Delhi, Hyderabad, Amman, Kuwait City, Muscat, Doha, Moscow, Abha and Tashkent, to name a few. The airline predominantly caters to the Middle East, Central Asia and India.

Why travel by flydubai?

Flydubai has grown into one of the biggest airlines in the Middle East. Thanks to the impeccable domestic routes and international routes that the airline caters to, it has been recognised. Not to mention how booking flydubai flights are cheap and affordable. You can get your web check-in done as well as know about the flight status on the airline's official website and mobile app. Further, flydubai's flight schedule is also available on the airline's website and other travel portals.