Flydubai begins flights to Indian city of Kozhikode

Dubai-based airline flydubai has started operating flights to the Indian city of Kozhikode in Kerala.

The inaugural flight was operated on February 1.

The airline will operate flights three times a week from Dubai International to Kozhikode Calicut International Airport.

Business class services will be available on the route, offering faster check-in, priority ground services and bigger seats.

As part of the Emirates flydubai partnership announced in 2017, Emirates will codeshare on the route.

For bookings under the codeshare, Emirates passengers will receive complimentary meals and the Emirates checked baggage allowance on flights operated by flydubai in economy class.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO at flydubai, said: “As the first Dubai-based carrier to operate direct flights from Dubai to Kozhikode, we expect this route to be very popular for travellers from the UAE to the region.

“Similarly, passengers from Kozhikode now have easier access to popular destinations on the flydubai network as well as the Emirates network providing easy access to more destinations when visiting family and friends.”

With the new launch, flydubai now offers 30 weekly flights to and from Dubai to eight destinations in India.

The airline began operating to India in 2010 with the start of direct flights to Lucknow. It now flies to Ahmedabad, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Lucknow and Mumbai.

Business class return fares to Kozhikode from Dubai start from Dhs2,659, while economy class return fares to Dubai start from Dhs670.

Last month, flydubai and Emirates confirmed that they will be increasing their network of codeshare flights this year.

The partnership started with codeshare flights to 29 cities, and has since expanded to 84.

Between January and December 2018, the two airlines jointly carried 3.29 million customers on codeshare flights.

Read more: Emirates, flydubai to increase network of codeshare flights in 2019