Dubai-based carrier flydubai has reported its record-breaking annual results in its 15-year history.

According to a Wam report, the results have been announced for its financial year ending December 31, 2024. The airline reported a pre-tax profit of Dhs2.5bn ($674m); a 16% growth compared to the previous financial year, with a total revenue of Dhs12.8bn ($3.5bn), marking an increase of 15% compared to Dhs11.2bn ($3bn) in 2023.

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“flydubai continues to push boundaries and reach new milestones year-on-year. In its young but impactful journey, it has emerged as a key player in the aviation industry in Dubai and the region. Its business model is built on solid foundations and an unwavering commitment to supporting Dubai’s economic and tourism vision. Forging invaluable air links to underserved markets has supported Dubai’s thriving aviation hub, making Dubai one of the most accessible and connected cities in the world,” Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of flydubai, said, commenting on the announcement of the airline’s financial results.

Also read: Air Arabia reports record Dhs1.6bn pre-tax profit in 2024

“We have seen evidence of the positive impact flydubai has in the markets it operates in, stimulating free flows of trade and tourism and acting as a lifeline during challenging times,” Sheikh Ahmed added.

flydubai: the airline’s achievements in 2024

flydubai carried 15.4 million passengers in 2024, an increase of 11% compared to 2023. Overall capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), increased by 10%. Passenger Load Factor increased by 1.2 percentage points, and Passenger Yield improved by 1%.

What drove customer demand for the airline

The customer demand for preferring the airline was driven by increased demand for both business and leisure travel around its network.

flydubai’s Business Class offering continued to attract more customers, recording an 18% increase in uptake across its network, carrying almost half a million passengers in 2024.

“Our record-breaking financial performance, for the fourth consecutive year, demonstrates our continued ability to grow our business and navigate difficult economic and geopolitical challenges through forward planning, drawing on our strength to adapt and evolve to the changing market and customer needs. Our collaborative approach with our key stakeholders and agility remain key drivers to this success, as well as the collective effort of our people who have been instrumental to it,” Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, commented on the annual results.

Connectivity for codeshare passengers

Almost 2.3 million codeshare passengers enjoyed the connectivity across the joint Emirates and flydubai network of 235 destinations in 101 countries.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has approved a new symbol for the Saudi riyal, marking a historic step in enhancing the national currency’s identity.

The move is expected to reinforce the kingdom’s economic presence both locally and globally.

Developed to the highest technical standards, the new riyal symbol is deeply inspired by Arabic calligraphy and reflects the kingdom’s rich cultural heritage

The Riyal symbol reflects modernity and tradition

The design prominently incorporates the name of the national currency, Riyal, signifying both the modernity and tradition of Saudi Arabia.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the new symbol will be used in all financial and commercial transactions, both domestically and internationally.

This streamlined representation aims to simplify the way the Saudi riyal is referenced in various economic contexts, further promoting the kingdom’s global financial standing.

The introduction of the symbol is expected to play a significant role in Saudi Arabia’s continued economic diversification efforts as part of the Vision 2030 initiative.

The Saudi Central Bank has also published guidelines pertaining to the use of the symbol.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded a contract to upgrade Al Qudra Street. The Dhs798m development project is set to improve traffic flow and address the growing needs of Dubai’s urban development.

Extending from the intersection of Al Qudra Street with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, the project will pass through Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and reach Emirates Road.

It involves the development of several interchanges, 2,700 metres of bridge construction, and an 11.6-kilometre street expansion.

The project is expected to decrease travel time significantly, reducing the average journey from 9.4 minutes to just 2.8 minutes, benefiting an estimated 400,000 residents and visitors.

Al Qudra Street: A strategic corridor

Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of RTA, emphasised the significance of Al Qudra Street Development Project, stating that it is part of RTA’s major efforts to enhance the East-West road network.

“This project will improve road capacity, optimise traffic flow at key intersections, alleviate congestion, and decrease travel times between vital areas,” Al Tayer said. He also noted that the project would improve safety standards while supporting the urban expansion and economic development in the surrounding areas.

Al Qudra Street Development Project will provide better connectivity to major residential and development areas such as Arabian Ranches, Dubai Motor City, Dubai Studio City, and others. Additionally, it will offer seamless access to Al Qudra City and the surrounding areas.

Intersection upgrades

A key aspect of the project is the upgrade of the intersection of Al Qudra Street with the road connecting Arabian Ranches and Dubai Studio City.

This upgrade will include the construction of a 600-metre bridge with four lanes in each direction. It will increase traffic capacity from 6,600 vehicles per hour to 19,200 vehicles per hour, cutting waiting times significantly from 113 seconds to 52 seconds.

Further enhancements will be made at the intersection of Al Qudra Street with Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street, which will include a 700-metre bridge featuring seven lanes in both directions.

This upgrade will boost capacity from 7,800 vehicles per hour to 19,400 vehicles per hour and reduce waiting times at the intersection from 393 seconds to 60 seconds.

Development areas

The project will also see the extension of Al Qudra Street from Emirates Road to the roundabout, serving developing communities like Town Square, Mira, and DAMAC Hills 2.

A new road will be constructed in the southern part of the developers’ area, stretching 4.8 kilometres to connect with Emirates Road, further improving access to these growing developments.

In the coming phase, the project will expand the number of lanes on both sides of Emirates Road, creating better connectivity and easing traffic flow in the expanding areas.

Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority has carried out some substantial development work on the Baniyas Road.

The development includes the expansion of the free right exit from Baniyas Road towards Al Maktoum Road, along with the addition of traffic lights that have helped organise pedestrian movement and improve traffic flow at the intersection.

The RTA, in January, also approved Dhs1.5bn for the Al Fay Street Development Project.

The road development will begin at its intersection with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, passing through Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street.

According to a Wam report, the road development will continue until Emirates Road and includes the development of five key intersections featuring 13,500 metres of bridges and 12,900 metres of roads.

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Al Fay Street will accommodate 64,400 per hour and serve the residential and development areas once the project is completed.

It will also benefit an estimated population and visitor base of 600,000 individuals.

It was in January that the RTA had also announced three major developments on Sheikh Zayed Road.

According to a Dubai Media Office report, these developments aim to enhance both capacity and efficiency on this critical road in Dubai and will be undertaken as Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road is a vital traffic corridor, connecting major commercial and financial hubs like the Dubai International Financial Centre, Burj Khalifa, and Dubai Mall. It also serves as a key route for global corporations, banks, and investment institutions in the area.

Parkin Company, the provider of paid public parking facilities and services in Dubai, has launched a new mobile app aimed at enhancing the parking experience for residents and visitors.

The app introduces features designed to simplify parking management, improve accessibility, and support efficient urban mobility.

Users can register through three methods: by creating an account, via UAE Pass, or through an RTA account using the Parkin registration form.

Once logged in, customers can make payments for public parking, including multi-storey car parks and developer parking, manage their wallet for top-ups, and subscribe to seasonal parking services.

The app also enables users to pay fines, dispute charges, and request refunds.

A real-time parking finder with a clustering feature helps locate available spaces, while an advanced search function provides access to on-street and off-street parking options with live availability updates.

Additional features include a PayLater option for deferred payments, dynamic auto-renewal for uninterrupted service, and the ability to schedule parking in advance with calendar integration.

Parking permits can also be stored in device wallets for easy access.

For a seamless parking experience, the app’s AutoPay feature eliminates the need for physical tickets, payment machines, or manual transactions.

Using automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) technology, it detects vehicles upon entry and exit, linking the plate number to the user’s registered payment method for automatic fee deduction.

This system is available at Parkin-operated multi-storey car parks and through a partnership with Majid Al Futtaim, covering locations such as Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre.

Parkin app designed to provide seamless customer experience

“The app is designed with our customers in mind, offering an intuitive and efficient solution that puts user convenience at the forefront,” said Engineer Mohamed Abdulla Al Ali, CEO of Parkin. “By simplifying the entire parking process and empowering users with more control over their experience, we are not only enhancing urban mobility but also directly supporting Dubai’s 2040 Urban Master Plan for a sustainable, connected city.”

Future updates will introduce additional services, including EV charging, allowing customers to pay the charging tariff and parking fee in a single transaction via a digital wallet.

The app will also integrate car care and maintenance services provided by ENOC, such as car washing, mobile refuelling, engine oil changes, tyre checks, and battery inspections at select Parkin locations.

The collaboration between Parkin and ENOC will link their mobile applications and digital wallets, offering a unified platform for booking services, real-time status updates, and secure in-app payments.

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