ATM 2024: flydubai to complete aircraft retrofit project by year-end, flies 5m passengers January to April

Dubai: The flydubai airline expects to complete an ambitious aircraft retrofit program before end of this year itself, having launched the project in January last.

Eight of its aircraft have already gone through the full cabin refresh, with the installation of lie-flat Business Class seats and new Economy seats from Recaro 'that mirror the cabin product on its newer aircraft in the fleet'.

All of the retrofitted aircraft will be equipped with inflight entertainment for a 'more cohesive and consistent travel experience for passengers across the fleet'.

The Dubai airline will retain an all-economy configuration on some of its aircraft and upgrade the seats to the new Recaro Economy seats with Inflight Entertainment. The retrofit is being carried out by both flydubai’s inhouse maintenance team and GMR Aerotech MRO.

flydubai took in nearly 5 million passengers between January 1 and April 29, a 13 per cent increase over last year. "We are still on track for one of the busiest summers on record with the start of the seasonal summer schedule from June," said Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO. "I am pleased to see our operations grow further in South-East Asia with the addition of Malaysia as well as the ongoing expansion in the African and European markets in particular."