Flydubai CEO advocates ‘open skies’ policy to improve flight connectivity between UAE and India and boost tourism
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The Dubai-based airline recorded passenger volume 30 percent higher than last summer.
The CEO of Dubai-based airline flydubai has called for an “open skies” policy between the United Arab Emirates and India, noting that this agreement will bring better benefits to boost tourism in both countries.
Ghaith Al Ghaith he commented during a recent virtual press conference announcing that flydubai recorded a strong summer this year, carrying more than four million passengers from June to mid-September.
He pointed out that India is a huge market and now that there is a trade corridor between the UAE and India, the aviation sector should also be liberalised.
“The aviation sector must be liberated as the potential is infinite,”
he stressed.
An ‘Open Skies’ agreement involves granting access to domestic airports to foreign airlines. It involves removing restrictions on flight frequencies, seats and cities to which airlines can operate, which will result in greater ease of travel and greater tourist flow.
In line with your call, Al-Ghaith He also noted that Emirates and Sri Lankan Airlines recently signed a reciprocal interline agreement to boost connectivity for passengers of both airlines. This partnership will allow access to new points on each other’s networks across Colombo and Dubai, using a single ticket and enjoying the convenience of luggage transfers.
Creating free trade and tourism
Meanwhile, flydubai operated more than 32,000 flights to a growing network of 120 destinations in 52 countries last summer. Al-Ghaith said the Dubai-based airline recorded passenger volume 30 percent higher than last summer.
He said:
“We continue to create free trade and tourism flows by offering the right product at the right time, making travel accessible to new and previously underserved markets. In doing so, we have enabled more than four million passengers to travel this summer through the hub Dubai Aviation.
“We are very pleased to see the year-on-year growth in demand at our seasonal destinations. We have recorded a 70 percent increase in passenger numbers to Trabzon (Turkey) and more than 40 percent to Bodrum (another city in Turkey) this summer. ,”
Challenges
However, Al-Ghaith noted,
“The numbers could have been even higher if the aircraft we ordered had been delivered on time. This would have allowed us to add more capacity on some of these popular routes.”
Flydubai expects further delays in scheduled aircraft deliveries this year until 2024. To mitigate this, the airline has signed an agreement to lease four next-generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft between October 17 and April 16, 2024.
Another challenge in the airline industry is rising fuel prices. When asked if flydubai would consider absorbing a loss in profits by reducing ticket prices to encourage more people to travel, Al-Ghaith He said it would be a big challenge. The airline will have to consider profitability, so it implements fuel surcharges – like other airlines – to ensure its operations.
Expansion and Recruitment
The prospects are bright. The Dubai-based airline operates a fleet of 78 Boeing 737s and recently announced the launch of operations to three new destinations. Its daily service to Cairo will begin on October 28, while Poznan – its third destination in Poland – will begin on October 29, and Mombasa, Kenya, is scheduled to join its expanding network from January 17, next year. Corfu in Greece and Olbia in Sardinia were the latest additions to flydubai’s seasonal summer routes this year.
Recruitment has also gone smoothly, with flydubai’s workforce now standing at 5,300, including 800 who were recently hired. Al Ghatih said there will be another 200 to 300 recruitments in Dubai this year.
News Source: Khaleej Times
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