flydubai plans to increase its fleet to more than 100 aircraft as part of the next phase of its fleet development plans, taking delivery of 11 new aircraft in 2026, while launching a program to retrofit the cabins of 21 aircraft from September over a 12-month period.
flydubai is set to receive 11 new aircraft in 2026, including 7 Boeing 737 MAX 9 and 4 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, as part of its long-term plan to modernize its fleet and replace older aircraft, according to a post on the flydubai website.
The new aircraft will support increased capacity on existing routes, improve network efficiency and provide greater flexibility to expand to new destinations and routes.
flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said surpassing 100 aircraft reflects the growth of the airline's operations, adding that the new deliveries provide the capacity and flexibility needed to support network expansion.
He noted that in addition to new aircraft, flydubai's investments include upgrading existing aircraft in its fleet as part of plans to develop its products and travel experience.
The Boeing 737 MAX 9 offers 16 Business Class seats and 156 Economy Class seats, compared with some Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft that have 10 Business Class seats.
The increase in Business Class seats allows flydubai to offer additional capacity on international routes with demand for this class, while making use of its existing flight schedules.
21 aircraft to be retrofitted over 12 months
From September, flydubai is launching the next phase of its cabin retrofit program for its existing Boeing 737 MAX fleet, which will run for 12 months.
The program covers 21 aircraft currently fitted with recliner Business Class seats, which will be replaced with lie-flat seats. It also includes replacing the current overhead bins with Boeing's larger "Space Bins," which can hold up to 6 standard bags, compared with 4 in conventional bins.
The new program follows flydubai's earlier investment in retrofitting the cabins of its Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which included installing lie-flat Business Class seats, new Economy Class seats and inflight entertainment systems.
flydubai's investments also cover onboard services and amenities, technology, training and engineering infrastructure, alongside plans to expand its fleet and network.
To view the post on the flydubai website, click here.
