By the end of 2023, flydubai intends to close a deal for a new aircraft, maybe in time for the November Dubai Airshow. The airline is in talks with Airbus and Boeing, the two biggest makers of aircraft, according to the National News. Despite having an entirely Boeing fleet at the moment, the airline is considering both the Airbus A320neo and the Boeing 737 MAX.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, the CEO of flydubai, provided information regarding the prospective acquisition of new jets on May 1, 2023, during the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. “We are working very closely to try and sign some deals, hopefully by the Dubai Airshow,” Al Ghaith said. “At the end of the day, the aircraft manufacturing market is so competitive, it’s a seller’s market right now […] I would love to do something by the end of the year, hopefully before the air show.” Al Ghaith expressed concern over potential “threats” that come with expanding the fleet, such as the cost of jet fuel and significant manufacturing backlogs.
“We have a good pipeline of aircraft coming, but in our business, we don’t just stop there, we have to buy aircraft at the right time to get the best price possible,” Al Ghaith said. Flydubai has made plans for brand-new business class cabins on certain of its planes public at the Arabian Travel Market. The new suites are made to offer passengers on single-aisle Boeing 737s the same levels of comfort as those available on wide-body aircraft.