Dubai-based flydubai has made its Bahrain International Airshow debut
November 15, 2024
Flydubai began operations in June 2009, and has carried more than 100 million passengers since then. The airline says that it is “committed to removing barriers to travel, creating free flows of trade and tourism and enhancing connectivity between different cultures across its ever-expanding network.”
Although flydubai has built a network of more than 125 destinations in 55 countries, opening more than 90 routes to cities that did not previously have direct air links to Dubai, Bahrain remains a vital market for the airline. Flydubai operates 31 weekly flights between Dubai and Bahrain, and has made more than 2,800 flights between January and October this year. Flydubai opened services to Bahrain in 2009 and has carried more than four million passengers between Dubai and Bahrain since then.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said that: “The Bahrain International Airshow is an important event that highlights the advancements and innovations within the aviation industry in the region. We are excited to be here for the first time, underscoring our commitment to the Bahraini market which we have been proudly serving since 2009. This Airshow represents an opportunity for us to showcase our newly retrofitted cabin interior and reflects our commitment to passenger comfort, integrating cutting-edge technology and design to elevate the flying experience.”
Flydubai operates a single fleet-type of 88 Boeing 737s, including 29 Next-Generation Boeing 737-800s, 56 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and three Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft. The carrier will soon expand its fleet beyond the Model 737, having ordered 30 Boeing 787-9s at the Dubai Airshow in 2023. These serve destinations across the GCC and the wider Middle East, Africa, Central and Southeast Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and South and Southeast Asia.
Though the Next-Generation Boeing 737 uses significantly more fuel per seat mile than the new 737 MAX, the older 737-800 will continue to play an important part in flydubai’s operations, and the airline launched a multimillion dollar retrofit programme for these aircraft earlier this year. The retrofit programme underscores flydubai’s “commitment to investing in enhancing customer experience and innovation,” the airline insists. Flydubai has already retrofitted 15 Boeing 737-800 aircraft this year and aims to complete the retrofit of two more aircraft before the year’s end. The programme is planned to continue into 2025, with up to 20 aircraft being upgraded.
The 737 MAX has fully flat beds in Business Class, rather than reclining seats, and features new RECARO seats in Economy Class. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft at Bahrain was one of those that has been retrofitted, and featured the same lie-flat seats in Business Class.
This new cabin interior is now available across the majority of flydubai’s fleet, and flydubai hopes that the retrofit will provide passengers with an enhanced and more consistent experience across the fleet.
The updated flydubai cabin interior features exceptional inflight entertainment in Economy Class with a full HD, 11.6-inch screen. A wide selection of movies, TV shows, music and games are provided in English, Arabic and Russian.
