Flydubai’s all-suite 737 business class

Flydubai’s new business class is on the way, and it’ll see the sharply-priced sibling of Emirates continue its push for the hearts and wallets of premium travellers.

In common with regional rivals Etihad Airways and Riyadh Air, Flydubai is opting for flatbed suites with direct aisle access for every passenger.

Flydubai's new 737 Business Suite.

The Flydubai Business Suites will crown selected Boeing 737 MAX jets beginning later this year, a spokesperson for the UAE state-owned carrier tells Executive Traveller, saying the suite was “still in the pipeline for 2025.”

It’s a significant delay for the 737 Business Suite, which was previously slated to launch in November 2023 and be available “on up to six aircraft by the first quarter of 2024.”

However, the Flydubai spokesperson says “there are many moving parts affecting the launch date including aircraft delivery schedule, supply chain, ongoing retrofit programme etc.”

Flydubai's Boeing 737 MAX.

When the Flydubai 737 Business Suite does take wing, travellers can look forward to being cocooned in these high-walled berths on longer flights to premium destinations around the Flydubai network into Europe and Southeast Asia.

“The increased height of the back-shell, a sliding suite door and direct aisle access for every passenger create a level of privacy never before seen on Boeing 737s,” says airline vice-president Daniel Kerrison.

Flydubai's new 737 Business Suite.

Flydubai will install ten Business Suites on each Boeing 737 MAX, with five either side of the aisle.

Each seat faces away from the aisle to provide a degree of privacy even when the suite door is open, while passengers face the windows.

Flydubai's new 737 Business Suite.

The Flydubai 737 Business Suite is based on the aptly-named Vue platform from Safran Seats, with design customisation by London-based JPA Design.

Vue is in turn a single-aisle skew of the Unity design which has already been selected as the next-gen business class of Qantas, Riyadh Air, Japan Airlines and Air India.

A 17" 4K screen pivots out for inflight entertainment, with Bluetooth audio streaming to a passenger’s own headphones or earbuds.

Flydubai's new 737 Business Suite.

Several stowage areas placed around the seat “keep a passenger’s personal items readily accessible while maintaining a clutter-free living space.”

Ambient LED lighting – another increasingly popular element in fresh business class designs –has been set into the shell of the seat, under the ottoman and inside personal stowage areas, giving the entire suite has a relaxing vibe.

Flydubai's new 737 Business Suite.

This is Flydubai's third generation of business class, which continues to make strides better since the then low-cost carrier first launched the premium cabin in 2013.

“Our business and product offerings have evolved from the initial no-frills model over the past 14 years to cater to the ever-growing needs of our customers and the markets we operate to,” airline CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith remarked in 2023.

Flydubai's new 737 Business Suite.

To help shake off that budget rep, Flydubai's business class offers “hot meals from an internationally inspired menu” on flights over 90 minutes, with “lighter cold meals on shorter flights.”

Flydubai's current second-generation business class uses the Vantage from Thompson Seating, which while allowing a flatbed experience provides direct aisle access to most but not all passengers, due to the staggered layout.

As previously reported, Flydubai intends to spread its wings to Australia and London with a fleet of Boeing 787s.