flydubai lands in India

The airline's touchdown in the booming city of Lucknow, in north east India, means the hundreds of thousands of tourists and Indian expatriates in the UAE have another option for safe, quality, affordable travel to the Indian sub-continent.

FZ433 took off on time from Dubai International Airport's Terminal 2 at 2030hrs last night, arriving at Lucknow Airport at 0150hrs local time this morning.

A financial, manufacturing and education hub, Lucknow is the second largest city in north, east and central India, and flydubai's thrice weekly direct service will now connect the city to the UAE and beyond.

His Excellency Mohamed Sultan Al Owais, Ambassador of the UAE, said: "It is important for both the UAE and India that we increase the number of safe, affordable, quality air travel options that connect our countries. flydubai is an excellent airline, committed to the highest standards of safety, training and maintenance, with a brand new fleet of one of the industry's safest and most reliable aircraft.

"Bilateral trade (non-oil) between India and the UAE was worth US$48.3bn in 2008-9, an increase of 65.8% over the previous year, which shows the growing importance of relations between our two nations. Increasing the transport links between India and the UAE can only help to strengthen the economic and commercial ties between us.

"I am confident flydubai will provide an excellent service to the people travelling between Dubai and Lucknow and we look forward to the airline being able to expand services to other Indian cities in the future."

flydubai's CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith, who was on board the inaugural flight, said: "After much anticipation, we are thrilled to make our first entry into India with the start of flights to Lucknow.

"We are thankful for the support we have received from the Indian authorities to make these flights  possible. Welook forward to continuing to strengthen our ties and grow the flydubai network within India to provide more direct links between our two nations."

The capital of India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow is also renowned for its unique food, rich culture, intricate textiles and impressive moghul architecture, and with one-way fares including all taxes and one piece of hand luggage priced at just AED500, the route is bound to be popular.

The new service, FZ433, operates on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, departing Dubai at 2030hrs and arriving in Lucknow at 0150hrs local time the following day. The return flight, FZ434, operates on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, departing Lucknow at 0235hrs and arriving in Dubai at 0520hrs local time.

Flights can be purchased on flydubai's website (flydubai.com), through the call centre (+9714 301 0800) and from travel agents.

The flydubai model is simple, with customers paying only for the services they want to receive. The ticket price includes all taxes and one piece of hand baggage, weighing up to 10kg, per passenger.

Passengers have the option to purchase checked-in baggage in advance at just AED60 for the first piece and AED150 for the second, weighing up to 32kgs, subject to availability. Checked baggage at the airport is also strictly subject to availability and passengers are advised to book online early to secure the space, as only pre-purchased baggage can be guaranteed.

A nominal payment of AED5 allows customers to select their seat and just AED100 secures the extra legroom positions. Bookings can be changed for a small fee, plus any difference in the fare, and food and drink can be purchased on board.

flydubai operates from a modernised and enhanced Terminal 2 on the north side of Dubai International Airport.