flydubai has signed an agreement to wet-lease four Boeing 737-800NGs from Smartwings from October 17, 2023 through April 16, 2024. Under the ACMI agreement, the aircraft will join flydubai’s fleet of 79 Boeing 737s, adding capacity during busy travel periods.
On Monday (August 7, 2023), flydubai announced the signing of a wet-lease agreement with Czech airline Smartwings for four Boeing 737-800NGs. Under the aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) agreement, flydubai will add the aircraft to their fleet of 79 Boeing 737s from October 17, 2023 through April 16, 2024, expanding capacity during busy travel periods. The wet-leased aircraft have an all Economy configuration and will be deployed on select flydubai routes, including service to Chattogram, Colombo, Dhaka, Karachi and Muscat. Guests booked on flights operated with Smartwings’ aircraft will be notified in advance. flydubai operates an all-Boeing fleet that includes 30 Boeing 737NGs, 46 Boeing 737-8 MAX, and three Boeing 737-9 MAX airplanes.
In Monday’s announcement, flydubai’s Chief Executive Officer, Ghaith Al Ghaith, said,
“We are pleased to confirm this new wet lease agreement with Smartwings, this marks our third agreement with the carrier since 2019. Smartwings, an IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) certified company, is well-experienced in ACMI agreements. The leasing of four additional aircraft will enable us to maintain our operational efficiency, add capacity around our network and minimise any potential disruption to our passengers during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.”
Also commenting on the ACMI wet-lease agreement, Smartwings’ Chairman, Jiri Juran, said,
flydubai currently operates a single-fleet type of Boeing 737 aircraft that includes 30 Next-Generation Boeing 737-800, 46 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and three Boeing 737 MAX 9.
“We are delighted to have signed our third ACMI wet lease agreement with flydubai. This cooperation, which we greatly value, will allow us to achieve a higher utilisation of our aircraft and provide our qualified employees with more opportunities during the winter season.”
Prague-based Smartwings is the largest Czech airline and one of the fastest growing carriers in Central Europe. The airline, which is part of the Smartwings Group, operates scheduled, charter and private flights in the business jet category. The carrier also offers ACMI leases to other operators. In addition to the Czech Republic, Smartwings operates in the Slovak Republic, Poland and Hungary, with service to over 200 airports worldwide. Most of the carrier’s flights operate in codeshare partnership with Czech Airlines, which is also part of the Smartwings Group. The Group operates a fleet of 43 airplanes.
Since commencing operations in 2009, flydubai has grown their network to over 115 destinations across 52 countries in Africa, Central Asia, the Caucuses, Central and South-East Europe, the GCC and the Middle East, and the Indian Subcontinent. The carrier has opened more than 70 new routes that did not previously have direct air links to Dubai or were not served by a UAE carrier. flydubai operates a single fleet type of 79 Boeing airplanes, including 30 Boeing 737-800NGs, 46 Boeing 737-8 MAX, and three Boeing 737-9 MAX airplanes.
Source(s): flydubai, Smartwings