DUBAI, 31st August, 2023 (WAM) - flydubai, the Dubai-based carrier, announced today the launch of flights to Mombasa from 17th January 2024. flydubai becomes the first national carrier to operate direct flights from Dubai and the UAE to the coastal city in southeast Kenya.

Flights to Moi International Airport (MBA) will operate four times a week from Terminal 3 at Dubai International (DXB). With the launch of operations to Mombasa, flydubai grows its network in Africa to 11 destinations in 10 countries, this includes Addis Ababa, Alexandria, Asmara, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Entebbe, Hargeisa, Juba, Mogadishu and Zanzibar.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: "We remain committed to opening up underserved markets and supporting Dubai's aviation hub. Dubai has seen steady growth in investment from Africa since Expo 2020, with more than 26,000 African companies registered with Dubai Chamber. Our direct flights to Mombasa from January and our growing operations in Africa will further support free flows of trade and tourism between the UAE and the East African markets."
"We see a lot of potential in the African markets and we look forward to growing our presence in the continent as we continue to grow our network and fleet in the coming years," added Al Ghaith.
Mombasa is the second largest city in Kenya and is known for its ancient architecture and beautiful sandy beaches. The city plays a vital role in import and export trade, and is a gateway into East Africa, not only serving Kenya but its neighbouring countries as well.

Commenting on the start of flights, Sudhir Sreedharan, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (UAE, GCC, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent) at flydubai, said: "Africa is very important for flydubai and we are always exploring opportunities to better serve the market with reliable options to travel conveniently to Dubai and further afield onto the combined flydubai and Emirates network. Mombasa will be another great destination on our network for passengers from the UAE, GCC and Europe seeking pristine beaches, wildlife parks and cultural experiences. We look forward to the start of our four-times weekly service to Mombasa and to increasing the frequency to the market in the future."