Qantas partners with flydubai

Qantas is fleshing out its international network through a partnership with low-cost Gulf airline flydubai.

Although not as extensive an arrangement as its alliance with Emirates, the ‘interline’ agreement between Qantas and flydubai allows Qantas travellers to book connecting flights from Emirates’ Dubai hub onto flydubai routes on a single ticket.

(There’s no earning and burning of frequent flyer points, however, because in common with many low-cost airlines flydubai doesn’t have a frequent flyer program.)

Like Emirates, flydubai is owned by the Dubai government and according to Qantas, flydubai has worked exclusively with Emirates until now.

"Our arrangement with flydubai expands our network beyond Dubai into destinations that Emirates does not fly to" a Qantas spokeswoman told Australian Business Traveller.

"flydubai services 54 cities and approximately 30 of those are destinations that Emirates doesn’t fly to" she added, citing examples such as Alexandria, Belgrade and Kathmandu.

Flydubai launched business class on its fleet of Boeing 737-800s earlier this month, and expects to offer the premium cabin on a third of its 32-strong fleet by year’s end.

Flydubai’s business class provides 12 reclining leather seats with a 42-inch pitch, laptop power and a 12.1 inch video screen; on the ground, travellers also enjoy priority checkin and access to business lounges at selected airports.

"The interline agreement is in line with our ‘gateways to the world’ commitment to leverage existing partnerships and continue to create new ones" the Qantas spokeswoman said.

Read: How interlining & codeshares work ... and why they matter to you

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David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.