Flydubai (FZ, Dubai International Airport) has revealed that it will not receive the 14 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft it was due to receive this year, and that Boeing’s latest delivery update is impacting its expansion plans.
The Dubai-based low-cost carrier said all aircraft delivered so far in the first half of 2024 are from a backlog from the previous year that faced significant delays (down to 13 from 17 in 2022). According to ch-aviation’s fleet module, flydubai has received four Boeing 737-8s this year. The airline has more than 125 MAXs on order.
flydubai currently operates a fleet of 88 of its own aircraft, including 56 B737-8, 29 B737-800 and 3 B737-9. To combat ongoing delays, the company has signed multiple ACMI agreements with companies such as Smartwings (Czech Republic) and extended leases on some of its aircraft to meet the surge in travel demand.
“The unpredictability of Boeing’s aircraft delivery schedules over the past few years has placed significant pressure on the company and its ability to plan credibly for expected growth, including frequency reviews for six new routes due to open in the coming months,” it said in a statement on July 22, urging the U.S. plane maker to comply with its delivery obligations.
“We are extremely disappointed to learn that Boeing will not be able to fulfil its commitments to deliver further aircraft for the remainder of the year. Boeing’s delays and frequent changes to its delivery schedule have disrupted our strategic growth plans and caused significant disruptions to published schedules,” flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said.