DUBAI: Dubai-based carrier flydubai’s fleet expansion plans have been hit by delays to Boeing’s aircraft delivery schedule, the airline said on Monday.
Flydubai, the sister airline of flagship carrier Emirates, said it was “evaluating its route development plans and potential frequency revision across the network due to a lack of new aircraft deliveries over the next few months.”
Demand for air travel has rebounded since the pandemic, but planemakers are struggling to boost production levels due to disrupted supply chains and a safety crisis at Boeing.
Flydubai said Boeing’s delivery delays in recent years have placed substantial pressure on the airline and its ability to plan for its projected growth in the wake of strong post-pandemic demand for travel.
The carrier said that due to revisions to the delivery schedule for 2024, Boeing was not expected to hand over 14 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft originally scheduled for the year.
Flydubai, which has more than 125 Boeing 737 MAX jets on order to be delivered over the next decade, urged the US manufacturer to “honor and renew its commitment” to meet its delivery obligations.
It also said it was exploring options to reduce the impact of the delays, adding it had entered aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) deals, without elaborating.
The carrier also flagged it had incurred additional costs as it had to extend the lease on some aircraft it was planning to return under sale and leaseback agreements.
Flydubai says it is the largest operator of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in the Middle East and Gulf Cooperation Council region.
Flydubai says expansion plans hindered by Boeing delays
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Flydubai says expansion plans hindered by Boeing delays
- Flydubai said Boeing’s delivery delays in recent years have placed substantial pressure on the airline
Saudi Arabia’s cultural sector is a new economic engine between Riyadh and Paris, says ambassador
RIYADH: Culture has become a fundamental pillar in bilateral relations between France and Saudi Arabia, according to the French Ambassador to the Kingdom, Patrick Maisonnave.
Maisonnave noted its connection to the entertainment and tourism sectors, which makes it a new engine for economic cooperation between Riyadh and Paris.
He told Al-Eqtisadiah during the opening ceremony of La Fabrique in the Jax district of Diriyah that cultural cooperation with Saudi Arabia is an important element for its attractiveness in the coming decades.
La Fabrique is a space dedicated to artistic creativity and cultural exchange, launched as part of a partnership between the Riyadh Art program and the French Institute in Riyadh.
Running from Jan. 22 until Feb 14, the initiative will provide an open workspace that allows artists to develop and work on their ideas within a collaborative framework.
Launching La Fabrique as a space dedicated to artistic creativity
The ambassador highlighted that the transformation journey in the Kingdom under Vision 2030 has contributed to the emergence of a new generation of young artists and creators, alongside a growing desire in Saudi society to connect with culture and to embrace what is happening globally.
He affirmed that the relationship between the two countries is “profound, even cultural par excellence,” with interest from the Saudi side in French culture, matched by increasing interest from the French public and cultural institutions unfolding in the Kingdom.
Latest estimates indicate that the culture-based economy represents about 2.3 percent of France’s gross domestic product, equivalent to more than 90 billion euros ($106.4 billion) in annual revenues, according to government data. The sector directly employs more than 600,000 people, making it one of the largest job-creating sectors in the fields of creativity, publishing, cinema, and visual arts.
Saudi Arabia benefiting from French experience in the cultural field
Maisonnave explained that France possesses established cultural institutions, while Saudi Arabia is building a strong cultural sector, which opens the door for cooperation opportunities.
This comes as an extension of the signing of 10 major cultural agreements a year ago between French and Saudi institutions, aiming to enhance cooperation and transfer French expertise and knowledge to contribute to the development of the cultural system in the Kingdom.
He added that experiences like La Fabrique provide an opportunity to meet the new generation of Saudi creators, who have expressed interest in connecting with French institutions and artists in Paris and France.
La Fabrique encompasses a space for multiple contemporary artistic practices, including performance arts, digital and interactive arts, photography, music, and cinema, while providing the public with an opportunity to witness the stages of producing artistic works and interact with the creative process.
