No let-up in Flydubai expansion

Budget airline Flydubai is showing no let-up in its rapid expansion as it notched up four new destinations last month.

The airlines launched routes to Colombo, Sri Lanka; Karachi, Pakistan; Latakia, Syria and Istanbul in Turkey - as well as adding another new Boeing 737-800 to its fleet/ The airline, which started operations in June 2009, now flies to 21 destinations around the world.

Flydubai’s model is to offer lower prices than full-service airlines and charge extra for additional services such checking in luggage or buying food on board.

Flydubai will operate four flights per week to Colombo. Ghaith Al Ghaith, flydubai’s CEO, who travelled on the inaugural flight said: “Sri Lanka is a popular tourist destination and by making travel to the capital a little less complex, a little less stressful and a little less expensive, I am confident this new route will be a popular one. Especially since a one way fare costs from just AED450, including all taxes, charges and one piece of hand luggage.”

Flydubai also began its service to the Syrian port city of Latakia. Flydubai now flies to three cities in Syria and the flights to Latakia come hot on the heels of the airline’s announcement that traffic between Damascus and Dubai has grown by 39 percent since flydubai launched flights to the Syrian capital last summer.

Flights to Latakia operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, with prices starting from AED350.

Meanwhile flights to Karachi will depart from Sunday to Thursday and will cost from AED300 and flights to Istanbul operate five times a week and are available from AED450 including one piece of hand baggage.