Flydubai B737 MAX 8 Business Class

Review: Flydubai B737 MAX 8

Flydubai is the first operator of Boeing 737 MAX 8 in the Middle East region. Their B737 MAX features fully flat Business Class and new Economy Class. Currently Flydubai regularly deploy their B737 MAX 8 on longer route to Europe such as Prague, Kiev, Catania, Krakow, Belgrade, Bucharest.

I chose flydubai on a recent trip to Kiev, Ukraine to attend the Ukraine Grand Aviation Tour.

Flydubai use Terminal 2 at Dubai International Airport. The airline has dedicated Business Class check in desks and a lounge. For economy class flyer, you may use the pay lounge - Marhaba Lounge (Marhaba lounge accept Priority Pass, Lounge Key etc)

FlyDubai Business Class Lounge

The Business lounge is split into 2 floors, the second floor is far quieter and have a bar. The main floor has an extensive buffet station. It wasn't overly busy during the peak morning departure period when I was there. The food choices are excellent.

a room with a glass railing and chairs a shelves with magazines on them a room with blue and orange chairs a bar with chairs in front of it a buffet line with food on the counter a buffet line of food a buffet with food in bowls a display case with food on it

Business Boarding Gate

All boarding is done by bus in Dubai Terminal 2 as the plane is parked at remote stand. There are no air-bridges for boarding. However, Flydubai has a dedicated business class boarding gate near gate 1. There are even food and drinks at the gate for those who are in a rush to grab.

a sign in a hallway a coffee machine and drinks on a counter a room with a few monitors on the wall a row of blue chairs in a room with a large screen

Business Class passengers have their own dedicated bus to the plane. I enjoyed the scenery across the tarmac.

a group of people sitting in a bus a group of airplanes parked on a runway

Rightfully registered, A6-MAX is Flydubai first B737 MAX 8 which operated the flight to Kiev. Flying time was 5 hours and 5 minutes.

an airplane with an engine and a ramp

There are 10 Business Class seats in Flydubai Business Class cabin. The seats are arranged in a staggered configuration. The first and third row have 2 seats on each side. The second row has one seat on each side. My seat is 2B, a "throne" seat with no one to share with. You can choose your seat during flight booking and online check-in on Flydubai website.

There were only 5 passengers in Business Class on my flight.

Flydubai B737 MAX 8 Business Class seat 2B
Flydubai B737 MAX 8 Business Class seat 2B
Flydubai B737 MAX 8 Business Class seat 2B
Flydubai B737 MAX 8 Business Class seat 2B

This is the footwell in front of the seat. There are plenty of storage. A bottle of water and noise cancelling headset is placed next to the seat. USB charging points and powerpoint are standard features on the Flydubai B737 MAX.

a light shining on the inside of a plane a close up of a machine a woman standing in an airplane with several people in the back

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 comes with the Boeing signature sky interior which offers more headroom and a spacious perception.a ceiling with a light in the middle a close up of a white panel

We took off on runway 30L and climbed over Deira on our climb out. I have noticed how quiet the LEAP engine on the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was.

an airplane wing on a runway an airplane wing and engine above water

Flight attendant came around with drinks and snacks. They also brought a nice blanket. I tried out the flat bed. It was really long when in fully recline mode, but as expected, my foot movement is restricted by the tight footwell in front. The best position of sleeping I achieved, is to turn side way. I did manage to sleep over 2 hours on this flight. Aisle seat in row 1 and 3 seems to have bigger footwell then the "throne" seats.

a bag of nuts and a packet of food on a table

a blanket on a shelf a person's leg in a machine

We have a choice of eggs or pancake on our flight. The meals are presented in nice diningwares like proper Business Class dining.a tray with food on it a plate of food on a table

The in-flight entertainment on Flydubai B737 MAX 8 is fantastic. It is easy to operate with a touch of your finger on the screen. I enjoyed 2 Russian movies with English subtitles.

a screen shot of a computer a screen shot of a computer

Here is a picture of the first row (extra legroom) of Flydubai's economy class on the Boeing 737 MAX 8. You can reserve the first row online for 150 AED for this sector but you have to pay 200 AED if you choose to do an "upgrade" on-board.

Flydubai B737 MAX economy class seat
Flydubai B737 MAX economy class seat

Before landing, the flight attendant came around again to offer a basket of snacks.

a basket of food and snacks

Conclusion

There are very few carriers that offer fully flat seat on the B737 in Business Class. (I actually can't think of one, unless it is a 737 BBJ)

Flydubai Business Class offers an excellent product that caters to those passengers who choose to pay premium. I have a very enjoyable 5 hours flight with them. I would definitely recommend row 2 (the throne seat) if you're flying Business Class alone. The Boeing 737 MAX is an incredible quiet airplane over its predecessor.

Be aware the flat bed Business Class seat is only on the B737 MAX aircraft, which generally deploy on longer routes. Flydubai currently operate many B737-800s which feature recliners in Business Class.

FlyDubai B737 MAX 8
FlyDubai B737 MAX 8
 

Sam’s Travel Hacks

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a screenshot of a website
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