DUBAI: Emirates and flydubai could use the same terminal at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travelers, after expanding their commercial relationship earlier this year, the head of the airport operator said.
Emirates, the Middle East’s largest airline, exclusively uses Terminal 3 with the exception of some Qantas flights which will end next year. Budget airline flydubai shares Terminal 2, on the other side of the airport, with other carriers.
Proposals to improve connections for passengers between the two airlines are under consideration, including whether it’s feasible for them to operate out of Terminal 3.
“We need to make a strategic decision about how the traffic distribution will work,” Dubai Airports Chief Executive Paul Griffiths told Reuters on Thursday in an interview in Dubai. “Then we need to move quickly into a design and construction phase to build whatever facilities are necessary for that, or adapt existing facilities around the new business model.”
Emirates and flydubai agreed in July to coordinate on network planning, schedules and frequent flyer programs, and said they would align airport systems and operations, but did not say how that would happen.
“What we are trying to do is see if we can get some sort of operating model established with them that will mean the infrastructure is shared on a more operational basis” Griffiths said.
A flydubai spokeswoman confirmed talks on how to improve passenger connectivity were underway. Emirates did not respond to a request for comment.
Emirates, flydubai, and Dubai Airports, are owned by the government of Dubai.
“We’ve got a series of proposals which hopefully before the end of the month will be evaluated and agreed,” Griffiths said.
Emirates and flydubai are managed independently despite the shared ownership and, as of July, operated a fleet of 317 aircraft to 216 destinations between them.
The airlines operate different aircraft. Emirates only flies widebody Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, while flydubai has an exclusive fleet of narrowbody Boeing 737s.
The combined fleet will expand to 380 aircraft flying to 240 destinations by 2022, the airlines said in July.
Moving flydubai’s operations to Terminal 1, located alongside Terminal 3, is also being looked at, and the final solution could be a hybrid of the proposals under consideration, Griffiths said.
Terminal 1 is used by foreign airlines, including British Airways, Lufthansa, and Singapore Airlines.
Emirates and flydubai could operate from single terminal at Dubai airport
Emirates and flydubai could operate from single terminal at Dubai airport
Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes higher at 10,596
RIYADH: Saudi equities closed higher on Tuesday, with the Tadawul All Share Index rising 43.59 points, or 0.41 percent, to finish at 10,595.85, supported by broad-based buying and strength in select mid-cap stocks.
Market breadth was firmly positive, with 170 stocks advancing against 90 decliners, while trading activity saw 161.96 million shares change hands, generating a total value of SR3.39 billion.
Meanwhile, the MT30 Index closed higher, gaining 6.52 points, or 0.47 percent, to 1,399.11, while the Nomu Parallel Market Index edged marginally lower, slipping 3.33 points, or 0.01 percent, to 23,267.77.
Among the session’s top gainers, Al Masar Al Shamil Education Co. surged 9.99 percent to close at SR26.20, while Saudi Cable Co. jumped 9.98 percent to SR147.70.
Cherry Trading Co. rose 4.18 percent to SR25.44, and United Carton Industries Co. advanced 4.09 percent to SR26.46.
Al Yamamah Steel Industries Co. also posted solid gains, climbing 4.07 percent to end at SR32.70.
On the downside, Emaar The Economic City led losses, slipping 3.55 percent to SR10.32, followed by Derayah REIT Fund, which fell 2.92 percent to SR5.31.
Derayah Financial Co. declined 2.13 percent to SR26.62, while United International Holding Co. retreated 1.96 percent to SR155.20, and Gulf Union Alahlia Cooperative Insurance Co. eased 1.92 percent to SR10.70.
On the announcements front, Red Sea International Co. said it signed a SR202.8 million contract with Webuild S.P.A. to provide integrated facilities management services for the Trojena project at Neom.
The agreement covers operations and maintenance for the project’s Main Camp and Spike Camp, including accommodation and housekeeping, catering, security, IT and communications, utilities, waste management, fire safety and emergency response, as well as other supporting services.
The contract runs for two years, with the financial impact expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026. Shares of Red Sea International closed up 0.99 percent at SR34.74.
Al Moammar Information Systems Co. disclosed that it received an award notification from Humain to design and build a data center dedicated to artificial intelligence technologies, with a total value exceeding 155 percent of the company’s 2024 revenue, inclusive of VAT.
The contract is expected to be formally signed in February 2026, underscoring the scale of the project and its potential impact on the company’s future revenues.
MIS shares ended the session 2.82 percent higher at SR156.70, reflecting positive investor sentiment following the announcement.
