Dubai's first low cost airline, flydubai, has announced it will operate from a modernized and enhanced Terminal 2 at Dubai International Airport, when it begins its services later this year. flydubai is currently on schedule to take off with the launch of its first routes mid-2009, operating a fleet of Boeing aircraft, each offering 189 economy class seats. Launch routes will be announced shortly and will include a range of destinations within four and a half hours flying time of Dubai. In preparation for the launch of flydubai, the re-development of Terminal 2 is already well underway, with finishing touches being put to Phase 1 improvements this week. Dubai Airports has commissioned the work to be carried out by the contracting company widely acclaimed for its impressive work at Dubai International's Terminal 3. Terminal 2 already boasts extended, brighter departure and arrival areas, additional departure gates, a specially-designed children's play area and new and improved food and beverage outlets. Further enhancements are planned. “As a low cost airline, flydubai will focus firmly on providing the very best value to our customers in a modern and convenient international environment” said the airline's CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith. “In Terminal 2 we have found an ideal home which will allow us to bring efficiencies to our operations and a range of facilities and benefits to our customers”. The one-level Terminal 2, with its central location on the north side of Dubai International Airport, will ultimately be served by a new transport infrastructure on Al Ittihad and Al Twar Roads, which will provide better approach routes and access. The interior design, coupled with the fact that its 1,000 car parking spaces are all at ground level just outside the front doors of the terminal, means that check-in and transiting times through the airport will be greatly streamlined. flydubai aims to capitalize on the region's growing budget travel segment and serve the considerable expatriate population by giving people the opportunity to fly more often. “As a low cost airline, our business model is to provide the best value to our customers, in a simple and transparent way and with the utmost of safety - we look forward to serving the growing numbers of travelers in this region and to bringing people together more often,” Al Ghaith said. The airline's operations team is currently finalizing routes, which are likely to include the Indian subcontinent, north and east Africa, southeast Europe and the Middle East.
