Dubai-based LCC flydubai is increasing its Italian network to three destinations with the launch of flights to Pisa (PSA) and the resumption of operations to Catania (CTA) in Sicily.

The airline, which currently serves Naples (NAP) four times per week, plans to add a 3X-weekly service to Pisa from June 24, as well as restarting a 3X-weekly route to Catania on the same day. Flights to Catania were suspended in March 2020 at the onset of the pandemic.

Emirates will codeshare on both routes, which will operate from Terminal 3 at Dubai International (DXB) using a two-class Boeing 737-8 aircraft.

Flydubai CCO Hamad Obaidalla said the Pisa flights would target leisure traffic to the city—best known for its Leaning Tower—as well as to the wider Tuscany region.

He added: “We have seen healthy growth in passenger numbers as more countries ease travel restrictions and demand for travel returns to pre-pandemic levels. We look forward to an exceptional summer.”

According to data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser, flydubai will the sole operator of nonstop flights between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Pisa. Neos Air has operated limited ad-hoc service in the past—most recently in February 2020 to Abu Dhabi (AUH)—but otherwise the destinations have been unserved.

In the wider Middle East region, Pisa was served daily from Doha (DOH) using A320s by Qatar Airways before the pandemic but operations are yet to resume. Florence (FLR)—located about 80 km (49.7 mi.) away from Pisa—is also unserved from the Middle East.

Looking at O&D traffic, Sabre Market Intelligence figures show that the Pisa-UAE market attracted just 1,652 two-way passengers in 2019 in the absence of nonstop flights. However, flydubai will be expecting its lower fares to stimulate demand for leisure travel between the destinations.

On Qatar Airways’ service to Pisa, point-to-point demand from Doha totaled about 3,000 passengers in 2019. The majority of passengers (90.4%) traveling on the route—about 29,193—flew to Pisa from points behind Doha on the oneworld alliance member’s network.

Flydubai’s route from Dubai to Pisa will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing Dubai at 7.15 a.m. The return service leaves Pisa at 1 p.m. the same day and the flight time for each leg will be about 6-hours 45-minutes.

DXB-PSA