On Monday, the first day of the Dubai Air Show, Flydubai announced that it will add 30 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to its fleet, making it a widebody operator.
Flydubai currently has 80 Boeing 737 aircraft in service, but the airline is unable to grow much more due to range constraints. The widebody order of today provides an answer to the question of how Flydubai will expand even more and create previously unattainable new routes.
To put it briefly, Flydubai claims that it needs the 787 to expand its capacity throughout its present network and enable it to fly to new, farther-off locations.
“Today’s order reaffirms Flydubai’s commitment to enabling more people to travel across its expanding network,” explained chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum as the order was announced.
“The highly fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner will allow flydubai to expand its horizon and cater to the growing demand on existing routes,” Al Maktoum continued.
However, there are a lot of unanswered concerns regarding Flydubai’s widebody operations.
Flydubai is not like other low-cost carriers, despite the fact that it is frequently perceived as such. With seatback screens at every seat and other user-friendly touchpoints, the airline has made significant investments in the passenger experience. Its newest Boeing 737MAX aircraft offers business-class seats with direct aisle access.
This backdrop is what makes Flydubai’s Dreamline configuration so intriguing. The airline may decide on a fiercely competitive Business Class that can rival, if not surpass, the antiquated Business Class seats on Emirates’ Boeing 777 fleet.
