CEO Interview: Ghaith Al Ghaith on flydubai's Future

DUBAI — On the third day at the Dubai Airshow, flydubai’s (FZ) Chief Executive Officer, Ghaith Al Ghaith, held a roundtable discussion with an international group of journalists. 

The airline has announced several orders, agreements, and services at this year’s Dubai Airshow, with the most notable being the transition to a mixed Boeing-Airbus fleet, including the acquisition of up to 250 A321neos, and today’s Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for up to 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

The carrier also announced the GEnx-1B as its engine choice for the upcoming Boeing 787 fleet and announced Starlink connectivity for its fleet.

A New Narrowbody Fleet

At the time of the roundtable, the order for up to 150 additional Boeing 737 MAX had not been made public. Therefore, the interview focused on the Airbus order, fleet outlook, and strategy, with contributions from a large number of accredited journalists.

“What gave Airbus an advantage in this case is the fact that this aircraft, the A321neo, is about 15 seats larger than the aircraft we can have. Additionally, it can operate for up to two hours more than our existing fleet,” commented Ghaith Al Ghaith. The carrier had not announced the split between different variants of the A321neo, but FZ could receive all three variants of Airbus’ popular narrowbody.

The neo would serve high-density markets with added capacity over the Boeing 737-8, while the LR and XLR would open entirely new markets in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Deliveries are expected to start in 2031, in line with the opening of DWC airport in Dubai South.

flydubai’s second commercial order from the airshow was signed shortly after the media roundtable. The 737 MAX variants are yet to be decided and disclosed, based on evolving market trends. FZ relies on the Boeing 737-8 as its main workhorse. The fleet includes 66 Boeing 737-8, 27 Boeing 737NG, and three Boeing 737-9 aircraft. While the Boeing 737-10 is not excluded at the moment, FZ will likely continue to operate the -8 variants in lower-demand markets and progressively introduce the A321s where higher capacity or range is needed.

The engine choice for the A321neo fleet will be announced in due course. Ghaith Al Ghaith described the choice as “tough,” and FZ is not rushing it at this stage.

A premium economy cabin on the narrowbody fleet is not being discussed at the moment; however, it was not ruled out. FZ will continue to rely on a large narrowbody fleet, with the Boeing 787 complementing its offer on selected destinations.

From DXB to DWC

Emirates (EK) and FZ carried five million passengers in 2024 with code-share tickets. Both airlines complement each other’s offerings, and the new global hub at DWC airport represents a unique opportunity to expand Dubai’s aviation network and footprint.

“As you know, we are in different terminals and the majority of our business is at Terminal 2. 95 percent or more of our capacity is remote stands. So, imagine being in one airport under the same roof, where you can comfortably walk to your next connection. The potential is huge, and that's why we need to live up to that opportunity and prepare ourselves.”

DWC will offer capacity for up to 250 million passengers each year. FZ will start its transition to DWC over the next two years, shifting some of its operations to Dubai South. By 2032, every airline is expected to operate out of DWC airport. A mockup model at the exit to the static display showcased the initial plan for DWC airport, where the new terminals dwarf buildings such as the Dubai Airshow venue and the existing terminal.

The Boeing 787

The CEO announced that all the Boeing 787s will be equipped with the same cabin layout. This will introduce a premium economy product exclusive to the widebody fleet.  As more airlines roll out enhanced business-class front-row seats, the UAE-based carriers have opted for on-board consistency rather than seat differentiation.

flydubai and EK will not feature a so-called “Business plus” hard product on board the upcoming deliveries. The cabin plans for the Boeing 787-9 are therefore finalised at this stage, and deliveries are expected to begin at the end of 2027.

The aircraft is expected to play a key role in opening new markets for FZ and operating on high-demand routes where narrowbody capacity does not suffice. North America remains off the table for the moment as, despite the Dreamliner’s long-range, FZ has opted to explore closer markets first.

Stay tuned to Airways for exclusive coverage from our team on the grounds at the Dubai Airshow 2025 #DAS2025.