Flydubai adds Salalah to GCC portfolio

flydubai, Dubai’s innovative airline, today announced the start of its new route to Salalah, expanding its presence in the Sultanate of Oman. Flights to Salalah will begin on 21 May 2013 and operate three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. flydubai started operations to the capital, Muscat, in 2010. The new route expands flydubai’s GCC network to 14 destinations, underlining the carrier’s commitment to supporting business ties and leisure traffic between Dubai and the neighbouring region. Commenting on the launch of the new route, flydubai’s CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith, said: “Oman was flydubai’s third GCC destination, and we look forward to strengthening the relationship between the UAE and Oman by offering passengers a quality, affordable travel option.” Salalah, located on the Indian Ocean, is the second largest city in Oman. It is well known for its natural diversity as the vast coastline blends with the rocky mountains, offering a perfect location for the outdoor enthusiast. The annual Salalah Tourism Festival, which is held between July and August, welcomes more than 1.8 million visitors from all over the world. During these months, visitors enjoy cooler climates which sets it apart from the neighbouring countries. “We are very excited about adding Salalah to our network. The two hour flight makes this popular city even more accessible and thanks to our convenient flight schedule, the new route will offer passengers a less stressful way to get to a perfect weekend getaway spot without the need for a long commute by car,” added Ghaith Al Ghaith. Flight Information Flights to Salalah will operate three times a week and will commence on 21 May 2013. FZ093 departs Dubai Terminal 2 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 1620hrs, landing in Salalah Airport at 1820hrs local time. The return flight, FZ040, departs at 1920hrs, arriving in Dubai at 2130hrs local time. Round trip fares from Dubai to Salalah start at AED 1000 and fares from Salalah to Dubai start at OMR 105. Fares include one piece of hand luggage weighing up to 7kg and one small laptop bag or hand bag. Checked baggage starts at AED 50 ($14) for 20kgs. A seat with extra legroom costs AED100 ($28) extra.  Albawaba Business