FlyDubai to Serve Ahmedabad

United Arab Emirates (UAE) low-cost carrier Flydubai is to launch flights to Ahmedabad from its Dubai International Airport base, its third destinations in India. The airline will offer a weekly service from August 27, adding to its existing links to Hyderabad and Lucknow.

"The growing Indian expatriate population in the UAE and the increasing reliance our two nations have on each other for our economic growth and development, makes the introduction of quality, affordable direct flights between the UAE and India's numerous secondary airports very important," said Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer, Flydubai.

An estimated 6.44 million O&D passengers travelled between India and the UAE in the past year, up 3.8 per cent on the previous 12 months. Flydubai’s sister carrier Emirates Airline already offers ten flights per week between Ahmedabad and Dubai, while Air Arabia has a daily link to the Indian city from the neighbouring Emirate of Sharjah. Around 81,000 O&D passengers travelled on the route to Ahmedabad from Dubai in the past year, while an estimated 46,000 flew from Sharjah. As you would expect, yields are stronger from Dubai with average one-way fares of $173 against $103 from Sharjah, although the arrival of Flydubai may impact this, although with only a weekly service this will not have a dramatic effect.

Ahmedabad was recognised as the world’s third fastest growing city. The site of Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram and the base of India's independence movement, the 600-year old city has always been of national and international significance. In recent years, Ahmedabad has also become prominent as a seat of academia, attracting scholars and experts from around the globe to institutions like the Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad), National Institute of Design and the Indian Space Research Organisation. With the UAE's increasing focus on knowledge based industries, the new routes will support joint-ventures in areas like space, design, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and bio-technology.

Schedule:

FZ437 DXB2210 – 0250+1AMD 73H 6
FZ438 AMD0335 – 0505DXB 73H 7