Emirates, flydubai carriers partner to fly across 200 destinations
Dubai-based airlines Emirates and flydubai have unveiled their extensive partnership agreement including integrated network collaboration and coordinated scheduling.
Under the partnership, two government-owned carriers will work together on coordinating their networks and schedules to offer more connections through Dubai in addition to code-sharing on each other’s flights.
Although, it is not a merger, both airlines will continue to be managed independently, but will leverage each other’s network to scale up their operations and accelerate growth.
Emirates and flydubai said in a statement on Monday: “The innovative partnership goes beyond code-sharing and includes integrated network collaboration with coordinated scheduling.
“The new model will give flydubai customers seamless connectivity to Emirates’ worldwide destinations spanning six continents. For Emirates’ customers, it opens up flydubai’s robust regional network.”
The two airlines operate networks with few overlaps. Meanwhile, Emirates has 259 wide bodies comprising of Boeing 777-200LR/300/300ERs and Airbus A380s serving 257 destinations, with A380s and 777-8/9Xs mostly long-haul, destinations. While, flydubai has a fleet of short and medium-haul Boeing 737s flying regional routes.
The combined operation will operate a fleet of over 300 aircraft, rising to 380 by 2022. The 216 destinations they currently fly to will rise to 240 by 2022.
Emirates Group chief executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said, “Both airlines have grown independently and successfully over the years, and this new partnership will unlock the immense value that the complementary models of both companies can bring to consumers, each airline, and to Dubai”.
Emirates said the two airlines are working on a number of initiatives spanning commercial, network planning, airport operations, customer journey, and frequent flyer programme alignment.
The enhanced partnership will be rolled out progressively, with the new code-share arrangements launching in the fourth quarter.
The flydubai website indicated the airline had interline arrangements with 34 different carriers, which apart from Emirates also includes Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
Emirates at a glance
-Aircraft: 259
-Destinations: 157 (six cargo-only points)
-Total 2016/2017 revenue (for financial year ending March 31st, 2017): Dh85.1 billion ($23.2 billion)
-Total 2016/2017 profit (for financial year ending March 31st, 2017): Dh1.3 billion ($340 million)
-Total 2016/2017 passenger numbers (for financial year ending March 31st, 2017): 56.1 million (up 8 percent)
flydubai at a glance
-Aircraft: 58, with over 100 more expected by 2023
-Destinations: 95
-Total 2016 revenue: Dh5 billion ($1.37 billion)
-Total 2016 profit: Dh31.6 million ($8.6 billion)
-Total 2016 passengers: 10.4 million (14.4 percent growth over the previous year)
The airlines combined
-Current combined network is 216 destinations
-Current combined fleet is 317 aircraft
-2022 expected combined fleet: 380 aircraft
-2022 expected combined network: 240 destinations