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UAE-based airline 
flydubai has just published its inaugural sustainability report, which it has called ‘Fly Forward.’ The Dubai government-owned carrier, which began life as a low-cost airline before transitioning to more of a hybrid model with a business class product, says that “the report marks a significant milestone in its journey towards integrating sustainability practices into its operations.”
Across the board, flydubai performed strongly on the sustainability front last year, and it was the only UAE-based carrier to rank in Cirium’s 20 most fuel-efficient airlines in 2025. However, this large achievement was the sum of several smaller initiatives, the benefits of which quickly add up when extrapolated across a whole fleet. Among the most notable of these is its single-engine taxiing program.
flydubai Leads The Pack In Single-Engine Taxiing
For airlines, making meaningful cuts to carbon emissions can seem like a daunting task, particularly when faced with the challenge of meeting the industry’s net-zero goal by 2050. In the short term, however, flydubai has found a way of making an immediate change, namely by implementing a new single-engine taxi program. This, the carrier says, “delivers an immediate impact on every flight.”
flydubai has implemented this initiative for both arriving and departing flights. It explains that, after a plane lands, one of its engines can be shut down after just three minutes “when conditions and manufacturer recommendations permit.” Likewise, departing jets taxi to the active runway under the power of one engine before firing up the second ahead of takeoff, saving further fuel. flydubai is well ahead on this front:
“At our Dubai base, we achieve a 95% application rate. Across our network of outstations, we maintain a 74% application rate, more than double the 35% industry average.”
The Airline’s Sustainability Strategy Is Based On Multiple Pillars
Much as flydubai’s single-engine taxi program is already making a big difference as it sits streets ahead of most other airlines on this front, sustainability is not a one-stop shop. As such, its strategy on this front, like that of any carrier, has to be multi-faceted and adaptable in the face of an industry that is vulnerable to external changes. With this in mind, its sustainability strategy and report have six pillars.
The first two of these pillars cover the environmental side of things, with a focus on climate-ready operations for the first one. Here, the airline is looking to “improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions across all operations.” The second pillar is based on environmental stewardship, specifically when it comes to circular practices that reduce waste. flydubai also engages in wildlife protection schemes.
The third and fourth pillars of the report cover the social side of environmental and social governance, with ESG being a common modern metric when it comes to quantifying a firm’s sustainability credentials. These pillars are known as ‘People at our core’ and ‘Stronger together.’ The final pair, known as ‘Excellence in safety, compliance, and service’ and ‘Intelligent aviation,’ covers the governance side.
This Airline Is Growing Its 737 Fleet By 15% Through December
The carrier will have almost 100 aircraft at its disposal by the end of the year.
Looking Towards A Sustainable Long-Haul Future
The makeup of flydubai’s existing fleet highlights its emphasis on sustainability. Indeed, of the 98 Boeing 737 jets that it currently flies, 72 are from the new 737 MAX family (69 MAX 8s and three MAX 9s), according to ch-aviation. Its remaining 26 aircraft are older Boeing 737-800s. Going forward, flydubai’s narrowbody fleet will see further growth and efficiency boosts, with another 114 737 MAXs on order.
It also has long-haul ambitions, with Boeing announcing in November 2023 that flydubai had shaken hands with the US firm on a deal for 30 787-9 widebody twinjets from the Dreamliner series. These will begin arriving in 2027, allowing the airline to unlock long-haul routes with one of the most sustainable twin-aisle jets of its era. This move, and more, stand flydubai in good stead for a more sustainable future.
