Dubai’s second-largest carrier is doubling down on Italy. From July 31 flydubai will operate two daily Boeing 737-MAX flights to Milan-Bergamo and has already upgraded Naples to a daily service. Catania and seasonal Olbia continue at three and two weekly rotations respectively. The capacity hike, disclosed on July 29, responds to strong VFR and SME export traffic between the UAE and northern Italy, as well as pent-up leisure demand after repeated Gulf flight suspensions earlier this year. Under the flydubai-Emirates codeshare, passengers gain single-ticket access to more than 200 onward destinations, improving connectivity for Italian suppliers using Jebel Ali Free Zone logistics corridors. Network planners highlight November’s temporary shift of the Naples flight to Salerno’s newly upgraded airport while maintenance closes NAP. Travellers booked on affected dates will be auto-reprotected, but mobility managers should verify ground-transfer arrangements given Salerno’s longer distance from key corporate sites. Analysts note that Italian routes are among flydubai’s highest-yield European sectors, buoyed by fashion-industry freight in belly-holds and affluent UAE residents with second homes on the Amalfi Coast. The extra frequencies will add almost 3,500 weekly seats, helping relieve tight premium-economy inventory during the autumn trade-fair season. For corporates, the main takeaway is greater schedule choice and the possibility of negotiating sharper group rates as capacity rises. The development also signals confidence that the current regional security situation will not derail westbound expansion plans.
Source: Gulf News
