Flydubai to receive 43rd aircraft

Analyst Saj Ahmad commented on the news: “flydubai's rapid growth since it started its inaugural flight to Beirut in the summer of 2009 has arguably been the fastest of any airline in the world, let alone specifically that of a low cost carrier.

“With the arrival of its 43rd Boeing 737-800 with a further 18 more on order to tie it over until its basket of 75 new 737 MAX 8s arrive later in the decade, the airline has already become the second biggest operator at Dubai International Airport and has grown bigger than Sharjah based rival Air Arabia (as flydubai has more UAE-originating flights while Air Arabia's network also includes Morocco and Egypt).

“The aviation-driven focus of Dubai has provide flydubai with a unique leverage point over its regional competitors and the push towards 100 destinations is within touching distance. In a meeting with CEO Ghaith Al-Ghaith last month, he revealed (to me) that flydubai is looking to operate at least 200 airplanes. It's likely therefore that the carrier is far from done ordering new jets. Whether such an order comes in a years time at the 2015 Dubai Air Show remains to be seen, however, the airline's rapid growth infers that this figure is both realistic and required if flydubai aims to sustain its current growth trajectory.”