flydubai: first appearance at the Dubai Airshow
Dubai’s first low cost airline flydubai has hailed the 2009 Dubai Airshow as a resounding success and has vowed to be back at the next Show in two years’ time.
The highlight of the show for flydubai was undoubtedly the visit to the airline’s newest Boeing 737-800 aircraft by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of flydubai on the show’s opening day.
This was followed by a raft of announcements starting with the two aircraft financing deals worth US$160m and ending with the announcement yesterday of Bahrain as the tenth destination on the flydubai network.
The second day of the Airshow was a busy one for Dubai’s first low cost airline, with flydubai announcing two aircraft financing deals worth a total of US$160m with Macquarie AirFinance and Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB). The financing covers the first two aircraft that flydubai received in May of this year and ensures all six aircraft the budget carrier will have by the end of this year are permanently financed.
On the same day, flydubai announced a deal with Goodrich Corporation’s ( GR) Aircraft Wheels & Brakes to supply wheels and carbon brakes for its eventual fleet of more than 50 Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft. The contract is worth $22 million over its life, including aftermarket support. Aircraft deliveries with the Goodrich wheel and brake equipment are expected to begin in March 2010.
flydubai also entered into an agreement with Jet Aviation Dubai for the delivery and technical acceptance of its new 737-800 aircraft. Jet Aviation conducted the full technical new aircraft procedure, and worked to ensure the aircraft was delivered on time on October 13 and was able to be immediately taken into operational service. Jet Aviation will provide the same services for the sixth aircraft, which is expected to be delivered in December 2009.
.