Well, this has totally come out of the blue. Historically a narrow-body aircraft carrier, flydubai has placed an order for wide-body aircraft, signalling a change in its strategy.
flydubai has placed an order for 30 Boeing B787-9 Dreamliners as the airline diversifies its fleet with the introduction of wide-body aircraft.
In 2008 when we placed our first ever order for 50 Boeing 737 aircraft, we were confident of the vital role flydubai would play in supporting Dubai’s aviation hub. I am proud today to see flydubai evolve further, surpassing labels and challenging the traditional conventions around travel. Today’s order reaffirms flydubai’s commitment to enabling more people to travel across its expanding network. The highly fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner will allow flydubai to expand its horizon and cater to the growing demand on existing routes.
said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman, flydubai.
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The Dubai-based carrier said that it has not yet finalized as to which engine will it choose for these Dreamliners and is “currently evaluating engine options”. Airlines can choose from General Electric GEnx engine or Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engine.
The 787-9 is perfectly suited for the needs of flydubai as it looks to open up new, longer-range routes and add capacity across its network. flydubai passengers will enjoy the Dreamliner effect, an experience like no other in the air, flying with more comfort and arriving to their destinations feeling more refreshed. We are proud of the confidence that flydubai continues to place in our products with an all-Boeing fleet. We look forward to further strengthening this partnership and to seeing our 787-9 Dreamliners play a central role in flydubai’s strategic expansion plans.
said Stan Deal, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
This is the fourth order placed by flydubai since its inception. The carrier currently operates a fleet of 80 aircraft: 30 Boeing B737-800NG (Next Generation) aircraft, 47 B737MAX-8 aircraft and 3 B737MAX-9 aircraft. The airline has an order backlog of more than 130 Boeing B737MAX aircraft to be delivered by 2035.
Featured image by flydubai
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