Flydubai begins Iraq service with Erbil flight

The inaugural flight, FZ201, took off from Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 2 at 1830hrs on Friday evening and landed three hours later at 2030hrs local time in Erbil — the capital of the Kurdish region of Northern Iraq.

“Stability and prosperity is returning to Iraq and particularly the Kurdistan region, and this makes Erbil an important gateway into the country, Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer of flydubai, said.

According to recent reports, Iraq’s GDP was $112 billion in 2009 and the country’s economy is expected to grow by approximately seven per cent in 2010, 7.9 per cent in 2011 and at similar rates for the next few years. This is above the average projected growth for the Middle East.

“In 2009, the UAE was the top foreign investor in Iraq and according to reports, the UAE is set to double investment in Iraqi Kurdistan to around Dh22 billion in the next three years. Flydubai’s new service will not only help to strengthen the relationship between our two nations but will also give the many Iraqi expatriates living in the UAE another affordable, quality air travel alternative to visit friends and family back home,” flydubai’s Chief Executive Officer Ghaith Al Ghaith said recently.

Flydubai’s first flight took off to Beirut on June 1, 2009 and just 12 months later the airline has built a network of 21 destinations. This makes flydubai possibly the fastest growing start-up airline ever.

“Erbil has seen encouraging development in recent years with many strategic projects being implemented across infrastructure, energy and commerce. Our new direct service will further strengthen the growth of the city by offering affordable and quality air links between the UAE and Iraq,” Obaidalla said.

A one-way flight fare from Dubai to Erbil is priced at Dh1,225. Flights to Erbil operate twice a week on Fridays and Mondays. On Fridays, FZ201 departs Dubai at 1830hrs, arriving in Erbil at 2030hrs local time. FZ202 departs from Erbil at 2115hrs, landing in Dubai at 0055hrs local time. On Mondays, FZ201 leaves Dubai at 1130hrs arriving in Erbil at 1330hrs local time and the return flight, FZ202, takes off at 1415hrs landing in Dubai at 1800hrs local time.

“The start of flydubai flights to Erbil is another indication of the continued development of economic relations between Iraq and the UAE. It highlights how the relations between both countries are rapidly improving, moving towards a brighter future,” Abdul Hadi Osman, Commercial Attache of the Republic of Iraq in Dubai said.

“The flydubai service will contribute to and accelerate the turnover of the Iraqi economy,” Osman said. “We hope other, similar partnerships with the UAE will help highlight the continued building of the new Iraq.”

muzaffarrizvi@khaleejtimes.com