Flydubai to begin flights from Al Maktoum International Airport

Flydubai will begin operations at Dubai World Central (DWC) from October 25, the budget airline said on Tuesday, bolstering Dubai's efforts to have carriers switch from the emirate's busy main airport.

Flydubai said it would serve destinations during the winter schedule from DWC's Al Maktoum International Airport. It will become just the fifth passenger airline to operate from DWC, with many reluctant to move operations from Dubai International.

The four carriers already there serve just five destinations, according to the Dubai Airports website. Authorities announced plans for a $32 billion expansion of Al Maktoum last September, aiming to create the world's largest airport with capacity topping 200 million passengers per year. The idea is to have airlines switch from central Dubai's first airport and move about 60 kilometres into the desert to DWC, near Dubai's border with UAE's capital, Abu Dhabi.

The airline said DWC would help accommodate for growth as it prepares to take delivery of 11 Boeing 737-800 Next Generation planes by 2017 and 75 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft by 2023.

Dubai's flagship carrier Emirates does not plan to operate from DWC until after 2020, instead taking up space at Dubai International as other carriers switch.Emirates plans to grow to 70 million passengers annually by 2020, something it can do from the main airport if it takes up most of its capacity.

Dubai International has an annual capacity of 75 million passengers but is undergoing a $7.8 billion expansion to raise that to 90 million by 2018.