Flydubai announce two important new routes

flydubai has announced it is to add Sulaimaniyah in Iraq and Yerevan in Armenia to its list of routes taking Dubai's first low cost airline's network to 26 destinations.

flydubai CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith said: “Our two new destinations to be launched in November are both incredibly important markets for flydubai. Sulaimaniyah is our second route in Iraqi Kurdistan, following on from the start of flights to Erbil in August.

“The service to the Armenian capital Yerevan is a totally new market for us, but similarly, a very important one. As a city Yerevan has a long history, being inhabited from the 8^th century BC, meaning there is thousands of years of history to be explored and discovered, while the modern city has much to offer too,” he added.

“The service to Sulaimaniyah underlines flydubai’s commitment and confidence in the country of Iraq, which has attracted a lot of investment from the UAE, helping grow trade links and cement ties between the two nations.”

Sulaimaniyah is a major city in the northern Kurdistan region of Iraq. A much younger city than some of its neighbours, with history stretching back to the 18^th century, Sulaimaniyah has grown to be a large city, with around 800,000 inhabitants.

The city is surrounded by three mountain ranges and several hills, and has what are often regarded as some of the most fertile agricultural lands in the region.

Agriculture plays a big part of the city’s economy, as well as a vibrant tourism industry.

Seen as the cultural centre of Kurdistan, Sulaimaniyah is home to Iraq’s second largest museum after the National Museum in Baghdad, and it also has a strong arts scene with several art galleries.

Yerevan , the capital of Armenia, is an ancient city that is considered one of the world’s oldest inhabited cities. Situated in the Ararat Valley, the city is picturesque with Mount Ararat providing a stunning backdrop. The city is divided by the Hrazdan River, with the river gorge offering a spectacular feature to the capital.

The city is one of Armenia’s major tourist destinations, with a wealth of culture, history and modernity providing an eclectic mix that is unique to ancient cities such as Yerevan.

The city is also a haven for both Armenian and international businesses, with a booming construction industry that has seen strong growth in the past decade. Yerevan has seen many new builds but also extensive refurbishment and regeneration of older areas of the capital.

The service to Sulaimaniyah begins on November 24, flying twice a week to the Iraqi city.

Flights to Yerevan start on November 21 with the service operating twice a week, going to thrice weekly from December 15.