flydubai Launches Dedicated Cargo Operations on October 1

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Dubai-based airline flydubai announced on Friday that it will launch dedicated cargo operations at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) on October 1, adding dedicated cargo capacity. The Dubai-headquartered carrier is continuously expanding its role in regional trade and logistics.

The company said the new operation will initially operate three Boeing 737-800 freighters on a wet-lease basis, with the lessor being Dubai South-based air cargo services company SolitAir, adding 23,000 kilograms of payload capacity per flight.

These freighters will complement the bellyhold cargo capacity of flydubai's current fleet of 98 Boeing 737 passenger aircraft. The company said its cargo capacity will increase substantially with the delivery of 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

The move comes ahead of the fourth-quarter peak season and represents the first phase of flydubai's dedicated cargo fleet expansion. The company also plans to evaluate passenger-to-freighter conversion options from 2029.

This cargo operation is part of flydubai's broader plan to develop cargo into a full-service logistics business. Led by Mohamed Hassan, Senior Vice President of Airport Services and Cargo, and Rashid Albashri, Vice President of Cargo, flydubai Cargo will offer scheduled cargo services and ad hoc charter solutions across its route network. From October, the first three aircraft will provide dedicated main-deck cargo capacity; meanwhile, the company is evaluating further fleet expansion and possible passenger-to-freighter conversions from 2029.

These dedicated freighters will be based at DWC, enabling flydubai Cargo to use dedicated airside infrastructure and leverage Dubai South for multimodal connectivity. The company said the operation will provide scheduled and charter cargo capacity to more than 125 destinations across Africa, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Central and Southeastern Europe, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the broader Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of flydubai, said the expansion supports Dubai's ambition to be a global trade and logistics hub. He said Dubai has become one of the world's most connected e-commerce, trade, and logistics hubs, and the goals under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 continue to create new opportunities for businesses to access global markets; launching dedicated cargo operations is an important step in flydubai's development path and reflects the company's commitment to supporting Dubai's vision by enhancing trade connectivity and logistics capabilities.

The new freighters will enable the company to carry cargo requiring dedicated capacity, including pharmaceuticals, perishables, live animals, dangerous goods, aerospace components, and express parcels. Initial flights will focus on high-demand regional routes, and flight frequency is expected to increase as capacity grows.

Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer of flydubai, said that as regional trade expands, the needs of commercial partners are changing. Since 2009, flydubai has opened more than 100 underserved markets and expanded regional connectivity. He said that as trade demands evolve, partners need guaranteed main-deck capacity, flexible scheduling, and specialized handling; making DWC the airline's cargo hub will give commercial partners direct access to Dubai's logistics network.