AIRWAYS INTERVIEW
7 Flydubai ’ s tail on the 50th Boeing 737 MAX received by the airline , A6-FKO . // PHOTO : LORENZO GIACOBBO
DXB VS . DWC : FUTURE EXPANSION ?
It is no secret that Flydubai ’ s hub at Dubai International Airport ( DXB ) Terminal 2 is almost at capacity . The airline already operates a few flights out of DXB ’ s T3 , sharing ground facilities with Emirates . As Flydubai adds more 737s and 30 new twin-aisle aircraft , and as Emirates further increases its fleet size , the global hub may suffer from the same problems that plague its British counterpart , Heathrow . While Heathrow has shifted its focus to intercontinental travel , minimizing single-aisle traffic , DXB simply cannot follow the same strategy due to the large regional fleets that use its slots .
In the past , ambitious plans were made to shift the center of Dubai ’ s aviation to Al Maktoum International Airport ( DWC ), which opened in 2010 . Today , it is mostly used as a cargo hub . The airport sits on land that is suited to a huge expansion , for which plans are in place .
Flydubai has always expressed interest in operating from DWC . It did so during the 2022
FIFA World Cup , ferrying fans from Dubai to Doha with up to 30 daily flights . As a football enthusiast himself , Al Ghaith has fond memories of that time . Flydubai even sponsored Argentina , dedicating a special livery to the country ’ s football team on one 737-8 .
Al Ghaith confirmed Flydubai ’ s interest in dual airport operation , despite the challenges it would involve . Flydubai allows connecting flights in DXB and with Emirates flights too . Perhaps the airline could operate a few selected non-stop flights to popular destinations for passengers who usually commute by airplane and do not continue their journey from Dubai .
NEW FACILITIES
Flydubai ’ s Boeing 787-9s will complement Emirates ’ order for the -8 and -10 variants , meaning that all three versions of Boeing ’ s Dreamliner would operate out of Dubai . Flydubai , which intends to build a US $ 190 million MRO facility , expects to take delivery of 150 additional aircraft by 2030 . This will require
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58 AIRWAYS MAGAZINE MARCH 2024 www . airwaysmag . com