Dubai: flydubai on Sunday said its Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will return to passenger service from April 8.
The first MAX aircraft to be operated by the airline will fly from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Sialkot International Airport (SKT) in Pakistan. The aircraft will also operate to other existing flydubai destinations from April 8 onwards.
Passengers will be notified in advance of travel if their itinerary now includes a flight that is scheduled to be operated by a MAX, said flydubai in a statement.
"The MAX is integral to flydubai’s fleet and we are confident in the aircraft and its capabilities," said Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai.
"I would like to commend the GCAA for their tireless pursuit of air safety and the diligent work undertaken by the flydubai team to ensure the safe return of the MAX aircraft to passenger service," he added.
GCAA compliance
The announcement follows the airline’s compliance with all of the requirements outlined in the Safety Decision issued by its regulator, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), to ensure the safe return of the aircraft to service.
flydubai has a fleet of 14 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, and four of its MAX 8s and one of its MAX 9s have now received regulatory approval to rejoin its fleet. The remaining nine MAX aircraft will return to passenger service over the coming months.
flydubai said it had met and "exceeded" the stringent requirements set out by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), which included installing software enhancements, completing a wire separation modification, conducting pilot training and performing thorough aircraft reactivation activities.
"We look forward to reintroducing our MAX product which includes a spacious lie flat bed in business class and an ergonomically designed seat in economy class," said Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at flydubai.
