The Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance (ACMI) agreement with Smartwings will see four-leased aircraft supplement the carrier’s fleet of 40 Next-Generation Boeing 737-800s and will add more capacity during the busy seasonal travel period.

flydubai’s decision to wet lease the four aircraft from the Czech Republic-based airline is due to the continued grounding of its 14 Boeing 737 MAX since March of this year.

Commenting on the agreement, Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO, flydubai, said, “the continued grounding of our MAX aircraft has had a significant impact on our operations with a 30 percent reduction of our flying schedule. We are taking every effort to minimise disruption for our passengers and these four additional aircraft will enable more passengers to have more options to travel during the holiday season.”

Al Ghaith, added, “We are pleased to have concluded our first wet lease agreement with Smartwings, an IOSA certified (IATA Operational Safety Audit) company with a track record of successful ACMI agreements.”