Dubai: Flydubai expects to carry almost 9 million passengers this year, a senior executive said on Sunday.
Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer at flydubai, said at conference in Dubai the airline will “touch 8.9 million passengers” in 2015, compared to 7.25 million passengers a year ago.
This will represent a 22.75 per cent year-on-year increase if 8.9 million passengers are flown. Obaidalla comments follow the airline announcing last week it lost $40 million in the first half of the year. Flydubai later said it recovered the losses in the third quarter.
Obaidalla told reporters the third quarter was “super” and that the “business is doing well.” But asked if the airline will report a profit in 2015, he said, “I am confident we are running a successful, great company.”
In 2014, flydubai, owned by the Dubai government, made $68 million in profit. Flydubai, which operates narrow body aircraft flights to destinations within a roughly 6 hour radius of Dubai, is considering adapting its business model to include long-haul routes.
Obaidalla said the airline is “evaluating” long-haul flights but provided few details. “Every opportunity is a priority for us,” he told reporters.
The introduction of long-haul services would not be the first expansion of the airlines business model. Since launching its first flight in 2009, flydubai has rolled out business class in 43 of its 50 aircraft. It had until then operated a strictly economy class cabin.
But the airline would more than likely need to place a new aircraft order to operate long-haul flights. It currently operates a fleet of 50 Boeing 737s, narrow body aircraft that are used for short-haul missions. Flydubai has a backorder of 111 more 737s of which it will receive eight next year.
On Sunday, flydubai commenced permanent operations at Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central (DWC) in addition to its operations at Dubai International, the emirates main airport.
Obaidalla said the airline has based three aircraft at DWC for the 70 odd weekly flights it will operate from the airport. He also said the airline prefers to grow at Dubai International, which is becoming increasingly congested. Flydubai will operate 100 aircraft by 2023, Obaidalla said.
