With Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad already serving Australian cities extensively, Fly Dubai believes there is room for another carrier to offer connections between the Middle East and the Land Down Under.
Fly Dubai, the low-cost sister airline of Dubai-based Emirates Group, plans to serve an undisclosed number of Australian cities as it begins deliveries of the new fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners it currently has on order. The company ordered 30 787-9 Dreamliners at the Dubai Airshow in November 2023, with deliveries starting in 2026.
With the new widebody aircraft joining the fleet, the long-haul capabilities of the new 787 will allow Fly Dubai to fly further than the previously exclusive Boeing 737 fleet would allow. While the airline is already pushing its 737 MAX 8s to the limits of their reach by flying to destinations such as Pattaya in Thailand, Penang in Malaysia and Basel in Switzerland, the new twin-engine aircraft will allow Fly Dubai to expand its route network even further and create a new one to open up a range of potential targets.
During the Arabian Travel Market event held in Dubai from May 6 to 9, 2024, Fly Dubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith outlined his broad plans for the 787s in the Fly Dubai fleet.
"The main goal of the Boeing 787 will be to take us further and into new markets," he said. "I'm thinking of London in Europe and Bangkok in Thailand. Maybe also to Australia, which the Dreamliners will make possible with their exceptional range."
Although Fly Dubai positions itself as a low-cost carrier, it does not strictly follow the same model as other budget airlines. It currently offers a business class cabin at the front of its 737 fleet, offering passengers either seats in a 2-2 configuration on short- to medium-haul flights or flat beds on medium- to long-haul flights.
Interestingly, at the same event, Al Ghaith mentioned the possibility of Fly Dubai introducing a premium economy cabin on their flights for the first time when the 787s arrive.
Al Ghaith commented that the Flydubai 787s would "very likely" include a "premium economy cabin" - a move that would increase alignment with Emirates, which has launched its own premium economy product on its flights in 2023.
Although Al Ghaith appeared to emphasize his plans for the new 787 fleet, his comments also struck a cautious note. Given the current delivery delays experienced by Boeing customers, he noted that the first 787 deliveries may be delayed and miss the target date for deployment in 2026. "We are not sure that Boeing can meet the 2026 deadline, given the delays in deliveries," he added.