Dubai-based flyDubai was an early adopter of lie-flat seats on single-aisle planes, introducing the offering on its 737 MAX fleet in November 2017. Today the company renews that commitment to that premium cabin experience with “The Business Suite,” a new premium cabin “offering passengers added comfort, privacy and an exceptional onboard experience.”
Our business and product offerings have evolved from the initial no-frills model over the past 14 years to cater to the ever-growing needs of our customers and the markets we operate to. We have come a long way since the introduction of our first Business Class offering in 2013, which has served us well. Today, we are proud to unveil a new premium product which rivals the Business Class experience offered by many airlines on wide-body aircraft.
– Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai
The Business Suite is based on Safran‘s VUE product, first introduced to the market at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2022. At that time the manufacturer indicated a launch customer had been secured. Now we know flyDubai is that airline launch partner.
Speaking on the new product launch Daniel Kerrison, Vice President of Inflight Product at flydubai, said, “The new business suite will take comfort on board to the next level. The increased height of the back-shell, a sliding suite door and direct aisle access for every passenger create a level of privacy never before seen on Boeing 737s. We have been working with Safran Seats and JPA Design over the past three years to develop an experience that meets the growing demand for premium air travel services across our network, offering passengers wide-body comfort on our narrow-body fleet.”
The ability to compete with twin-aisle comfort could prove significant for the carrier. It currently expects to fly roughly a dozen routes longer than 2,500 miles in the upcoming winter season. Three of those (LED, PRG, WAW) compete with Emirates‘ larger aircraft. LOT Polish, Austrian, and Aeroflot also operate overlapping services with the flyDubai routes, but all on single-aisle planes without such a premium product up front.
The new seat is a reverse herringbone layout, offering all passengers direct aisle access and views (VUEs??) out the window. flyDubai also chose to add a sliding door for privacy. Passengers can avail themselves of the 17-inch entertainment screen on board, including Bluetooth headphones pairing. In-seat power outlets are also on offer. Other features include reasonable storage for passengers and ambient lighting set in to the seat frame.
In another first, the carrier also plans to launch electronically dimmable windows on the MAX aircraft with this new Business Suite layout.
The first plane featuring the new Business Suite is expected to join the flydubai fleet in November. Aircraft in this configuration will have 10 premium seats in the forward cabin. It is at least mildly notable that the carrier did not differentiate the first row of the new cabin in any discernible way, unlike other premium cabins recently launched (including Virgin Atlantic’s Retreat Suite and Air New Zealand’s Business Premiere Luxe).
The new Business Class experience will be available on up to six aircraft by the first quarter of 2024 and will be scheduled on select longer flights around the flydubai network.
Read more:
- flyDubai launches HAECO Eclipse business class seat
- China Eastern takes an interesting angle for new premium seating
- Airbus A321XLR: The future of single-aisle long-haul travel
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This is exciting news for frequent flyers and business travelers who are always looking for more comfort and luxury on their flights. FlyDubai’s introduction of the Business Suite lie-flat seats on the 737 MAX is a game-changer in the aviation industry, and I think it will be a big hit with passengers.