Azerbaijan, Baku, April 30 / Trend, E.Ismayilov /
Dubai's innovative low-cost airline flydubai will make its debut at this year's Arabian Travel Market (ATM) and will showcase its expanding network and range of innovative services, the airline said in its press release on Monday.
Now in its nineteenth year, the Arabian Travel Market has grown to become the largest showcase of its kind in the region and one of the biggest in the world. Attracting more than 2,200 exhibitors and 22,000 attendees in 2011, this year's edition will take place from 30 April - 3 May at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The airline's two-storey stand has a multi-faceted interactive design giving visitors the opportunity to sample the flydubai experience at first-hand, including the in-flight entertainment (IFE) as well as the innovative ways passengers can book and pay for flights.
In just under three years, flydubai has grown to become the second largest carrier operating out of Dubai International Airport. In addition to establishing the industry's strongest Middle East network it has targeted destinations that did not previously have international flights such as Abha, Gassim and Yanbu in Saudi Arabia. It became the first low-cost carrier to offer direct flights to destinations such as Kazan in Russia and Kharkiv in the Ukraine.
"Travel and tourism here in the Middle East continues to grow. In 2011, 55 million people visited the region compared to just 18 million in 1990 and that number is expected to increase by a further 5% this year. This growth is due in large part to the emergence of low-cost carriers, such as flydubai, that have opened up new destinations and provided affordable travel options to passengers," flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said commenting on the company's achievement.
Established in March 2008, flydubai is Dubai's first low-cost airline and the fastest growing start-up airline in the world. Since commencing operations in June 2009, the airline has established an operational route network of more than 45 destinations across GCC, Middle East, North Africa, Indian Sub-Continent, Asia and the fringes of Europe and has built up a fleet of 23 aircrafts. Owned by the government of Dubai, the low-cost carrier supports the city's commercial and tourism sectors by serving all travellers and providing them with affordable air links to a range of destinations.