14 July 2021; MEMO: United Arab Emirates carrier Flydubai on Tuesday announced that it had reached an agreement with Boeing, under which it would amend previous deals and cancel orders of 65 737 MAX aircraft due to the repercussions of the coronavirus.
"Flydubai has reached an agreement with Boeing, and the airline has adjusted its aircraft orders which had been placed in 2013 and 2017," the company confirmed in a statement.
The state-owned airline pointed out that it had received two Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft last June, adding that it would also receive another 11 "by the end of 2021".
The statement noted that the move was made after a: "Review of the fleet plans in line with the company's strategy of rebuilding the travel sector in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and changing the travel network."
Flydubai currently operates a fleet comprising a total of 52 Boeing 737 aircraft. Global airlines have gradually restored operations following a worldwide return of confidence in travel and demand increase. However, the repercussions of the pandemic still cast a shadow over the global aviation sector, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently reported that restrictions would continue until 2024.
