Monday, Nov 14, 2011
DUBAI (Zawya Dow Jones)--Dubai's lowcost carrier flydubai, which runs a fleet of Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft, is interested in the Airbus A320neo and the Boeing Max as more fuel-efficient potentials for its fleet expansion, and expects to decide on the new type of aircraft to acquire within a year, its chief executive officer said.
The carrier is in the first phase of studying its fleet expansion and won't make new orders before that is complete, Gaith Al Gaith said at an interview at the Dubai Airshow.
Al Gaith also said flydubai, which still expects to turn a profit in 2012, will start fuel hedging next year as it takes delivery of more aircraft. The carrier will receive its 21st aircraft next month. The remaining 29 in its order of 50 Boeing aircraft will be delivered by 2016.
"We will be looking for more aircraft beyond that, and we are looking at the changes in the market over the past six months and the new Max and NEO," Al Gaith said. "They give you better efficiency."
"We need to make a decision within a year's time," he said.
-By Nour Malas, Dow Jones Newswires, +9714 4461689; nour.malas@dowjones.com
Copyright (c) 2011 Dow Jones & Co.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
14-11-11 0811GMT
