flydubai announces $ 60.7 million profit for 2013

Dubai, UAE: flydubai  announced  net profit of AED 222.8 million (USD 60.7 million)in 2013 , an increase of 47 per cent compared to 2012.

‘ flydubai continues to play a prominent role in the UAE’s aviation industry. The contribution it makes in support of its thriving commercial and tourism sectors is demonstrated by revenue of AED 3.7 billion (USD 1.0 billion),’ flydubai release states.

Chairman of flydubai His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum said: “2013 was a remarkable year for flydubai. We started the year having achieved our first full year of profitability; we launched Business Class services across our network and to support our future growth we placed the largest single-aisle Boeing aircraft order in the Middle East.”

The airline, which operates an average of 1,100 flights a week, launched 17 new routes during 2013 bringing the network to 66 destinations. It doubled its network in Russia to eight destinations; underlined the commitment to its network in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with 10 destinations, many of which have not previously had direct flights to Dubai, as well as Salalah in Oman. It ended the year with the first direct flights to Chisinau, the capital of Moldova.

flydubai has strategically expanded its network within a five hour flying radius of Dubai and has opened up 46 routes that were previously underserved or did not have direct air links to Dubai. flydubai grew its international team, drawn from 99 nationalities, to more than 2,250 employees including 499 pilots and 922 cabin crew.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai, said: “Our results reflect the strategic gap we fill,in particular, the approach we have taken to open up 46 routes that did not previously have direct air links to Dubai. The achievements of the past year could not have been delivered without the commitment and hard work of our experienced team, together with our partners, who are focused on exceeding our passengers’ expectations on board flydubai.”

At the 2013 Dubai Airshow, flydubai committed to ordering 75 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and 11 Next-Generation Boeing 737-800s, valued at $8.8 billion at list prices. In addition, the airline retains purchase rights for 25 more 737 MAXs.

The first aircraft from this order, 11 Next-Generation Boeing 737-800s, will be delivered between 2016 and 2017. Deliveries of the first Boeing 737 MAX will commence in the second half of 2017 and continue until the end of 2023. Source: flydubai