flydubai jets into four new markets

Dubai, U.A.E. December 8, 2010 – flydubai, Dubai’s first low cost airline, has touched down in four new destinations in a fortnight, just days before it announced its 29th destination – Yanbu in Saudi Arabia.

The latest route network expansion began with Yerevan, the capital of Armenia on 21 November. This was followed two days later with Abha, also in Saudi Arabia, then Sulaimaniyah in Iraq on 24 November. The fortnight of inaugural flights was completed on 30 November when flydubai flight FZ731 arrived in the Turkmen capital Ashgabat.

flydubai CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith, said: “It has been a busy few weeks for us, with the start of flights to four new cities, and now the announcement of another destination. These four services perfectly illustrate what flydubai is all about; opening up new markets for passengers in Dubai, while also offering affordable travel to the UAE for people around the region.”

Twenty eight operational destinations

The inaugural flight to Ashgabat was greeted by the UAE Ambassador to Turkmenistan, Hassan Abdullah Al Adhb, who said after landing: “It is my pleasure to welcome flydubai’s flight to Ashgabat. Much like flydubai, Turkmenistan is a country that is growing at a rapid pace, and the addition of this new flight link is set to benefit both nations by encouraging business and trade between the two nations. I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to the government of Turkmenistan for their support and encouragement in making flydubai’s new service to Ashgabat a reality.”

The twice weekly flights open up a new destination for travellers looking for both business and leisure providing numerous tourist and cultural attractions as well as opportunities for entrepreneurs in this young city.

flydubai’s daily service to Abha, meanwhile, marked another milestone for the low cost airline as it now serves the entire GCC network. Located in the south west of Saudi Arabia where it is the capital of Asir Province, the city is known for its more temperate climate.

As a growing tourist destination, there is much to see in Abha, including the Al Habala village. Located almost 2,000 metres above sea level and featuring traditional Saudi houses built into the mountainside from mud and stone, the area is only accessible by cable car.

But there was no time to rest between initial flights for as soon as the Saudi service got off the ground, flydubai expanded operations in neighbouring Iraq with the introduction of a twice-weekly service to Sulaimaniyah.

Sulaimaniyah is one of Iraq’s largest cities, but much younger than its neighbours such as flydubai’s other destination, Erbil. Nestled in the mountains and surrounded by fertile agricultural lands, the city is regarded as Kurdistan’s cultural centre, including being home to Iraq’s second largest museum behind Baghdad’s National Museum.

Rounding off the new routes is the Armenian capital Yerevan, which began flights on Sunday 21 November. Yerevan is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, with a strong history and much culture to offer, as well as being a stunningly picturesque city set against the backdrop of Mount Ararat.

In addition to being a historic city, Yerevan also boasts modern development, much of which has flourished recently boosted by a construction boom.

“As you can see, our four new routes offer very different options for UAE travellers. Each city has a unique appeal and we hope people will take advantage of these flights to discover new destinations,” said Al Ghiath.

flydubai’s second Saudi Arabian destination

Saudi Arabia is quickly becoming an important market for flydubai after it announced a six times weekly service to Yanbu will begin on 7 January 2011.

Situated on the Red Sea coast to the north of Jeddah, Yanbu – flydubai’s 29th destination – will be the first of many additional routes next year.  Yanbu, which is an industrial city, functions as a prominent port in the Kingdom.

Al Ghaith said: “As an important neighbour of the UAE and with many ties between the two nations, our second route to Saudi Arabia is another milestone for flydubai.

“As a key business destination in the region, frequent flights to the Kingdom will help foster business connections and as such we foresee a lot of travellers coming to the UAE to conduct business and vice-versa.

“To add another route so soon after beginning flights to four new destinations, further demonstrates the phenomenal growth of flydubai,” Al Ghaith added.

Flight information

Flights to Ashgabat operate twice weekly from Dubai. Flight FZ731 departs Dubai on Tuesdays at 0810hrs touching down in Turkmenistan at 1140hrs local time. Return flight FZ732 leaves on Tuesdays at 1225hrs, reaching Dubai Terminal 2 at 1400hrs. FZ731 leaves Dubai on Fridays at 1150hrs, landing in Ashgabat at 1520hrs. FZ732 departs Ashgabat on Fridays at 1605hrs and lands in Dubai at 1740hrs local time. Flights to Ashgabat start at AED1,025. Flights from Ashgabat to Dubai start at USD285.

Flights to Yerevan operate two times a week, increasing to thrice weekly from December 15. Flight FZ715 departs Dubai at 1010hrs, arriving in the Armenian capital at 1335hrs local time on Sundays and Wednesdays (a Friday service will begin on 15 December). The return service FZ716 leaves Yerevan at 1420hrs and touches down in Dubai at 1725hrs local time on Sunday and Wednesday, plus Friday from 15 December. Prices from Dubai to Yerevan start at AED 590 and a one way flight from Yerevan begins at USD 190.

Flights from Dubai to Abha are offered daily. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, flight FZ813 departs Dubai at 1145hrs, arriving in Abha at 1340 local time. The return flight FZ814 takes off for Dubai Terminal 2 at 1440hrs, landing in Dubai at 1815hrs UAE time. Flights to Abha begin at AED450 per person, including one piece of hand luggage weighing 7kg. Flights from Abha to Dubai start at SAR475, with a 7kg piece of hand luggage included.

The service to Sulaimaniyah flies twice a week, with flight FZ205 departing Dubai at 2215hrs on Wednesday and Friday and landing in Iraq at 0025hrs local time on Thursday and Saturday respectively. Service FZ206 from Sulaimaniyah to Dubai leaves at 0110hrs and arrives at Dubai International Airport Terminal 2 at 0440hrs local time on Thursday and Saturday. A one way flight from Dubai begins at AED 1225. Flights from Sulaimaniyah to Dubai start at USD 315 one way.

Flights will leave Dubai at 1115hrs and arrive in Yanbu at 1325hrs local time. The return flight leaves Yanbu at 1410hrs and arrives in Dubai at 1810hrs local time. Prices from Dubai to Yanbu start at AED 460 and a one way flight from Yanbu to Dubai begins at SAR 520.

Flights are available for purchase from the website (www.flydubai.com), call centre (+9714 301 0800) and travel partners. Flights for Yanbu can also be purchased from the airline’s local agent in the city on +966 4 3252555 or +9664 3250095.

ends

About flydubai:

flydubai, Dubai’s first low cost airline, was established by the Government of Dubai in March 2008 and began commercial flights on June 1, 2009. flydubai aims to make travel a little less complex, a little less stressful and a little less expensive, and thereby increase the number of people travelling to and from the UAE.

flydubai currently has a fleet of 12 brand new Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft and operates to 28  destinations: Beirut-Lebanon, Amman-Jordan, Damascus, Aleppo and Latakia-Syria, Alexandria, Luxor and Assiut-Egypt, Djibouti, Doha-Qatar, Baku-Azerbaijan, Khartoum-Sudan, Bahrain, Kathmandu-Nepal, Muscat-Oman, Kabul-Afghanistan, Kuwait, Lucknow-India, Istanbul-Turkey, Karachi-Pakistan, Colombo-Sri Lanka, Erbil-Iraq, Yekaterinburg and Samara-Russia, Yerevan-Armenia, Abha-KSA, Sulaimaniyah-Iraq and Ashgabat-Turkmenistan. Flights to Yanbu-KSA will begin in January 2011.

Bookings can be made on www.flydubai.com, through the call centre (+9714 3010800) and with travel partners.

For further information, please contact:

Anne Howard or Andrew Kennedy at the flydubai press office at Polaris PR. Telephone: (9714) 341 5555. Anne Howard mobile: (971) 50 281 5872. Andrew Kennedy mobile: (+971) 50 9659104. E-mail: a.howard@polaris-me.com or a.kennedy@polaris-me.com

Or

Heather Astbury, PR Manager for flydubai at mobile: (+971) 50 9508420 or email: heather.astbury@flydubai.com