Low-cost Emirati carrier flydubai is expanding its network further into Europe with the launch of four new routes. From August the carrier will become the first UAE airline to operate services to EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, serving the border region of France, Germany and Switzerland.

Flydubai also plans to serve the Baltic region with nonstop flights to the Latvian capital, Riga, starting on October 11, in addition to Tallinn, Estonia and Vilnius, Lithuania, which begin a day later.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, flydubai’s CEO, said 60% of the carrier’s network previously had limited or no connections to Dubai. “Our new services to the Baltic region and Basel will enable more people to travel conveniently through Dubai’s aviation hub, whether they are visiting Dubai or connecting conveniently onto the flydubai network or further afield with our codeshare partner Emirates,” he said.

Elsewhere, the carrier is to operate three weekly flights to Sochi, Russia, starting on June 16, and Langkawi and Penang in Malaysia, which started on February 10, 2024. Flydubai announced an order for 30 Boeing 787-9 aircraft last year. However, the new routes are to be served by either the 737-800, MAX 8 or MAX 9s already in the fleet. (Photo Boeing)