Flydubai sees strong passenger growth in Ljubljana and Zagreb

Flydubai registered growth on both its Ljubljana and Zagreb service during the first half of the year when compared to the same period in 2022, with the airline to add additional flights to the two cities over the coming winter season, which begins on October 29. The Dubai-based airline welcomed 29.551 passengers on board its Ljubljana service, according to Slovenia’s Statistical Office, with an average cabin load factor for the entire six-month period standing at 68.2%. The carrier registered a 44.1% increase in the number of travellers handled when compared to 2022, while its average cabin load factor improved twelve points. Flydubai will initially run four weekly rotations to the Slovenian capital during the winter season, with additional services in early November, however, from December 18, the carrier will increase frequencies to daily which will be maintained until January 14, after which flights will be reduced to five weekly before increasing again to daily from February 1 onwards. Changes to the schedule remain possible.

Flydubai Ljubljana performance, H1 2023

Flydubai handled 28.309 passengers on its Zagreb route during the first six months of the year, according to the European Union’s Statistical Office. The figure is up 26.7% on last year but down 47.7% on the pre-pandemic 2019. However, back then Flydubai operated the service during the winter months, while Emirates took over from late March with its widebody B777 aircraft. Flydubai’s average cabin load factor on the route during the first half of this year stood at 75.5%, up 8.9 points on 2022 and an increase of 11.8 points on 2019. The carrier plans to boost its frequencies to Zagreb this winter, with a total of five weekly services, up from four last winter.

Flydubai Zagreb performance, H1 2023

Flydubai has announced a new agreement with Smartwings from the Czech Republic to wet-lease four 189-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft from October 17, 2023 until mid-April 2024. The Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance (ACMI) deal with Smartwings will see the all-economy class jets deployed on select routes. The aircraft will be utilised on the Zagreb operation on October 18, however, it will only be used on the inbound flight to Dubai, as there is no service scheduled that day from Dubai to Zagreb. Similarly, it will be deployed from Dubai to Zagreb on April 18, 2024 only on the outbound flight. On both occasions, the flights are being used to ferry crew and position aircraft for Smartwings, however, the airline has made it possible for passengers to book tickets on the legs. The jet will also be deployed to Ljubljana (outbound service only) on April 15.