Yesterday, we reported on predictions from U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing, that airlines across the Arabian Gulf region would need around 3,350 new aircraft within the next 20 years – to both replace older aircraft and fuel future growth. Well, it turns out that one airline wants to make a significant dent in that number already.
On the penultimate day of the Dubai Air Show, taking place at the city’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), flydubai announced a huge new aircraft order with Boeing.
The low-cost carrier has ordered a total of 225 new Boeing 737MAX aircraft – coming in at a total of $27 billion. Although remember, that’s the list price so expect flydubai to have negotiated a significant discount on that figure.
This is the third, massive aircraft order, within the airline’s short 8-year history – flydubai made its very first aircraft order in 2008 and then signed a record order at the 2013 Dubai Air Show when executives ordered 86 Boeing 737’s.
“Today’s aircraft order underlines the success of flydubai’s founding vision helping to strengthen trade and tourism links across its network and has contributed to the enhanced connectivity of Dubai’s aviation hub,” explained Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, flydubai’s chairman.
By the end of the year, flydubai will have 61 Boeing 737-800 and 737MAX aircraft. As an all Boeing 737 operator, the airline will have a further 70 such aircraft joining it’s by 2023. flydubai already serves 87 destinations across 44 countries so expect this new order to really help fuel a new and rapid expansion.
More than 50 of the first 175 aircraft to be delivered to flydubai will be the MAX10 aircraft – this is the largest aircraft in the 737 family, allowing the airline to carry more passengers, a greater distance and at a lower cost. The remaining aircraft will be made up of MAX9 and MAX8 aircraft.
flydubai hasn’t yet said when it anticipates the order to be completed.
