flydubai (FZ, Dubai International) has revealed that it will not receive the fourteen B737 MAX it was due to receive this year, and that Boeing’s latest delivery update has impacted its expansion plans.
The Dubai-based low-cost carrier said all of the aircraft delivered so far in the first half of 2024 were from the backlog of previous years, which also faced extensive delays (it added 13 new aircraft down from 17 in 2022). The ch-aviation fleets module shows flydubai has received four B737-8s this year. It has an order for over 125 MAX.
flydubai currently operates a fleet of 88 in-house aircraft, including fifty-six B737-8s, twenty-nine B737-800s, and three B737-9s. To address the ongoing delays, the carrier has entered into several ACMI contracts with companies such as Smartwings (Czechia), and extended the leases on some aircraft, to meet the surge in demand for travel.
“The unpredictability of the aircraft delivery schedules from Boeing over the past few years has put significant pressure on the carrier and its ability to firmly plan for its projected growth,” including a review of the frequency of operations of six new routes due to launch over the coming months, the company said in a statement on July 22, urging the US manufacturer to honour its delivery obligations.
“We are extremely disappointed to learn that Boeing will not be able to fulfil its commitment to deliver more aircraft for the remainder of the year. Boeing’s short-noticed and frequent delivery schedule revisions have hindered our strategic growth plans, resulting in significant disruptions to our published schedules,” said Ghaith Al Ghaith, flydubai’s chief executive.
