First Boeing 737-800 aircraft received by FlyDubai
FlyDubai Boeing
The very first low cost carrier of the Dubai emirate, (LCC), received its first of 50 generation next Boeing 737-800s. Although the traffic in summer is estimated to be low the present year because of the diminished spending of the consumers, the chief executive of the airline, Gaith Al Gaith said, “the booking right now is better than expected” for the this summer. The first flight of the airline will be to Lebanon, Beirut, on 1st June, and by the end of the year, there will be an addition of 14 to 16 destinations as well. Some more destinations that are confirmed are Jordan, Amman, Syria, Egypt, Damascus and Alexandria. Gulf News was been told by Al Gaith that the Indian sub- continent and Gulf Cooperation Council will be looked upon as new destinations by the airlines. ‘This region’ will always be the focus, according to him.
The inauguration of the first Boeing 737-800 for the FlyDubai airlines of Dubai was done at Dubai International Airport by H.H Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. The special guests at the occasion were Sheikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Group, Dubai Police Commander Lt. General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Chief Executive of FlyDubai, Ghaith Al Ghaith and a bunch of other senior officials. Light was thrown on the technical specifications of the aircraft in a presentation made during the ceremony.
FlyDubai Cabin Crew
In March 2008, establishment of FlyDubai was made as a low budget airline with a cost of Dh250 million. It is completely owned by Government of Dubai. It will be functioning between various cities in the Middle East and Dubai and beyond, according to the Emirates News Agency, WAM. Six aircraft deliveries of the aircraft would be taken by the airline this year, including the aircraft of the inaugural. Another one is expected this month, two in July, one in October and one more in December. Last year, an order of 50 more aircrafts was placed by the airlines at Farnborough for $4 billion (Dh14.69 billion) and officials mentioned that by 2016, all the deliveries will be taken.
Considering the funding for the aircraft, Al Gaith said, “it would be on airline’s own resources, plus from local an international institutions. We will finance them as they come”. The model of the airline is said to be “less complex, less stressful and less expensive”. All taxes and hand baggage allowance of 10 kg will be included in the ticket price. Passengers will have to pay a separate charge of Dh40, for an additional 32 kg. “People should not pay for others’ baggage,” Al Gaith said, relating the detach fee charge as “fair”.
The Runway: Dubai International Airport
The base of the airline will be in the Dubai International Airport, and according to the chief executive, it is quite probable for its base to be moved to Al Maktoum Airport in Jebel Ali once the construction gets completed the next year. He said that the focus would be laid on the UAE as a base and there are no plans so far of a second hub to expand its horizons outside of its region. According to the chief executive, the needs of other low cost and traditional carriers of the UAE will be complimented by the airlines. The airline has now become the first direct competition from within the UAE to the region’s first LCC, Air Arabia. The President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group, which is the parent company of FlyDubai, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, said during the promotion of the innovative aircraft, that because the nation relies heavily on air transport, it is imperative for Dubai to boast its own low-cost carrier.
