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flydubai Confirms Wet Lease Agreement with Smartwings

flydubai Confirms Wet Lease Agreement with Smartwings

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 28 November 2019: Dubai-based flydubai has announced today that it has finalised an agreement with Smartwings to wet lease four Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft between 14 December 2019 and 25 January 2020.

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.

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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 2019.

Commenting on the agreement, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “the continued grounding of our MAX aircraft has had a significant impact on our operations with a 30% 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.”

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“Smartwings is delighted by a new business relationship with flydubai which we value very greatly. This kind of cooperation by Wet Lease Agreement is one of way to achieve even higher and more effective use of our aircraft in winter season when there is lower demand for flying in Europe. We believe that this agreement will intensify the cooperation between both carriers also in the future, ” says Roman Vik, CEO of Smartwings.

The all-Economy Class leased aircraft will operate on select routes on the flydubai network including: Bahrain, Colombo, Faisalabad, Karachi, Kuwait, Muscat, Multan, Prague and Sialkot.

flydubai passengers booked to travel on a flight operated by Smartwings will be notified prior to their travel date. For further information passengers can visit flydubai.com

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flydubai continues to review its plans, exploring all options to minimise disruption to its passengers with the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and these aircraft will not rejoin the operating schedule until it has received regulatory approval by the GCAA.

Aerospace

India is in talks with Nigeria regarding the export of its single-engine Tejas and Prachand helicopter

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India is actively exploring its defense market and making audacious moves to establish itself as a significant player in targeting the African defense market to sell Tejas and Prachand.

According to the sources, Nigeria, in negotiations to purchase Indian aircraft such as the LCA Tejas and LCH Prachand, has recently opted to acquire the M-346FA light fighter-trainer aircraft from Italy. This decision comes after expressing dissatisfaction with the performance of the JF-17 Thunder jets, signaling a shift away from acquiring additional JF-17s.

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India is actively challenging Russia and China’s long-standing dominance in Africa, focusing on the lucrative market. While the India-Nigeria connection is longstanding, it’s rapidly evolving. In the fiscal year 2021-22, India emerged as Nigeria’s largest trading partner.

In March 2024, India intensified efforts to explore potential exports. A defense industry delegation visited Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, signaling India’s interest in exporting its single-engine Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.

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Recent reports suggest Nigeria is considering acquiring 15 fighter jets to replace its aging Chengdu F-7NI fleet, with India emerging as a leading supplier, proposing its indigenous Tejas fighter jet.

The HAL Tejas is an advanced Indian multirole combat aircraft featuring a delta wing design, produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. It serves as a pivotal asset for air defense, maritime reconnaissance, and strike missions, tailored to excel in high-threat scenarios. With nearly 40 initial variants already inducted, the Tejas stands as a cornerstone of the IAF’s operational capabilities.

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Previously, Nigeria had explored Indian-built options such as the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) ‘Prachand,’ Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) ‘Dhruv.’

The Prachand helicopter, designed for battlefield deployment as an attack helicopter, stands out with its advanced weaponry and avionics. Positioned to compete with helicopters like the Apache, Turkish T129, and the European Tiger, Prachand emphasizes India’s capability to produce unique and technologically advanced military assets.

Beyond military hardware, India’s strategic move includes establishing a local currency settlement system with Nigeria, a development of notable economic significance forged in May 2024.