flydubai has launched its daily service to Kraków, becoming the first UAE carrier to offer direct flights from Dubai. The inaugural flight from Terminal 2, Dubai International landed at John Paul II Kraków Airport  on 08 April and was greeted by a water cannon salute.  The inaugural flight was piloted by a Polish Captain and First Officer and onboard there were Polish cabin crew members.

The delegation was led by Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (UAE, Middle East, Europe & CIS) at flydubai.  HE Robert Rostek, the Polish Ambassador to the UAE, Thierry Aucoc, Senior Vice President, Commercial (Europe & Russian Federation) at Emirates joined the delegation together with representatives from the UAE media. On arrival in Kraków, the delegation was greeted by the UAE Ambassador to Poland, HE Dr. Yousif Eissa AlSabri, Radosław Włoszek, President of the Kraków Airport Board and Paweł Galiak, Aviation and Commercial Services Director at Kraków Airport.

Speaking at a press conference to mark the occasion, Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations at flydubai, said: “As the first carrier to operate daily, direct flights from Dubai to Kraków we are excited about the opportunities that this new route will provide for trade and tourism between the UAE and Poland.  This route will be served by the newest aircraft in our fleet, the Boeing 737 MAX 8, which offers our passengers an exceptional travel experience.  Not only does this offer our passengers from Kraków connections to more than 200 destinations from Dubai we also know that passengers travelling to Kraków will be keen to explore this popular tourist destination.”

flydubai’s newest aircraft, the Boeing 737 MAX 8, will operate the direct, daily service to Kraków.  The efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft also features a new cabin offering a flat-bed in Business Class for passengers to sleep comfortably during their flight. Economy Class offers new RECARO seats, which are designed to optimise space and comfort. flydubai also offers exceptional inflight entertainment with a full HD, 11.6-inch screen, featuring more than 1,000 hours of movies, TV shows, music and games in Arabic, English and Russian.

Emirates will codeshare on this route and as part of the Emirates flydubai partnership, each airlines’ passengers will have the opportunity to connect in Dubai to hundreds of destinations across the world.

“With our partnership, passengers can connect easily and conveniently to over 90 of flydubai’s destinations which complement the Emirates route network, spanning six continents in over 80 countries,” said Thierry Aucoc, Senior Vice President, Commercial at Emirates. “Both airlines have grown independently and successfully over the years and this new partnership unlocks the immense value that the complementary models of both companies can bring to consumers, each airline, and to Dubai. We are really proud to be a part of this event and look forward to witnessing flydubai’s success on the Polish market,” he added.

For bookings under the codeshare, Emirates passengers receive complimentary meals and the Emirates checked baggage allowance on flights operated by flydubai in Business and Economy classes.

“A connection offered by the new carrier, flydubai, from Kraków to Dubai International (DXB), opens up wide travel options for passengers from southern Poland. Passengers will certainly appreciate the benefits of the agreement between flydubai and Emirates airlines,” said Radosław Włoszek, President of the Kraków Airport Board. “Kraków and Małopolska combine the tradition of many centuries with modernity. They are highly rated by foreign investors and recognized in international rankings. With the extensive tourist and cultural offer, visitors can plan an extraordinary holiday at any time of the year. The new connection is an opportunity for further development to our region and for creating new jobs as well,” he added.

With the upcoming launches of flights to Dubrovnik in Croatia on 10 April, flights to Catania in Italy and to Thessaloniki in Greece in June, flydubai’s route network in Europe will reach 26 points with 135 weekly flights.