Flydubai declared that it plans to hire around 130 new pilots by the 2024 end, apart from getting seven new aircraft around the same timeframe. Basel, Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius will now be part of the airline’s network expansion.
Flydubai’s Chief Executive Officer, Ghaith Al Ghaith, said, “Flydubai has expanded to employ over 5,800 highly qualified individuals from 140 different countries, with over 1,200 of them being pilots. By the end of this year, we plan to have hired over 130 new pilots.”
Al Ghaith stated that the airline has more than 440 workers this year, a 6% increase from the previous one. According to him, there is a continuous recruitment drive to bolster the team with more talented and competent employees and foster the expansion of the business.
As part of its commitment to nurturing local talent, flydubai has attracted more UAE Nationals over the past two years, who assumed various roles across the organisation. The venture is also offering apprenticeship opportunities in various departments, including engineering, as well as special programmes for UAE national pilots and employees in other departments to support future growth opportunities.
“With our headquarters in Dubai, flydubai has expanded to service over 125 locations in 58 countries with a modern, effective fleet of 88 Boeing 737 aircraft,” Al Ghaith said.
He emphasised flydubai’s continued ability to draw in young Emirati talent and their dedication to hiring locals and advancing Emiratization initiatives by assigning them to appropriate positions in various corporate divisions.
At the Dubai Airshow in 2023, flydubai placed a historic order for 30 Boeing 787-9s, its first-ever wide-body aircraft.
Additionally, the airline unveiled plans to establish new maintenance and training facilities, to enhance efficiencies and positively impact its bottom line. The airline, as of July 2024, operates a young fleet of 88 Boeing 737 aircraft, serving a network of more than 125 destinations across 58 countries.
Flydubai has been in the news. After having signed a reciprocal codeshare partnership with Emirates recently, which will commence in October 2024, the Dubai-based carrier signed a reciprocal interline agreement with Condor at the IATA Annual General Meeting in Dubai, held in June 2024.
Condor passengers will benefit from additional connecting flights from Dubai to destinations such as Malaysia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand and many other locations in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and Southeast Asia. Passengers will be able to travel on a single ticket fare and their baggage will be checked through to their final destination on all connecting flights operated by Condor and flydubai.
During the signing of the reciprocal interline agreement, Condor CEO Peter Gerber said, “By expanding our partnerships, we are providing our customers with even better connections to other destinations around the globe. Flydubai is another important partner for reaching 22 worldwide destinations via the Dubai hub. Our guests will benefit from even more choice and a consistently state-of-the-art product throughout their entire journey. Additionally, Condor flights to and from Berlin will be bookable for flydubai passengers.”
Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, told the media during the occasion, “We are pleased to partner with Condor and to offer more passengers a convenient and reliable travel experience on board our flights. Since 2009, we have remained committed to enhancing connectivity and creating free flows of trade and tourism, and with this new partnership, we look forward to offering Condor’s passengers the opportunity to explore the flydubai network.”