Emirates NBD, the region’s leading retail banking institution in terms of assets, has entered into a strategic agreement with flydubai, Dubai’s first low cost airline, to facilitate ticket payments through its vast electronic banking channels.

This agreement, which came into effect in June 2009, is the most recent from a series of initiatives developed by Emirates NBD that has lent support to the UAE government and its various programmes, and adds a new dimension of convenience to the lives of frequent travelers, said a top official.

With this new partnership, customers booking flights online at www.flydubai.com can pay for their flights through internet banking, ATMs, cash deposit machines, via SMS and phone banking services, as well as at the 110 bank branches throughout the UAE, Jamal Bin Ghalaita, deputy CEO at Emirates NBD said.

“We are proud of our agreement with flydubai, as it facilitates tickets purchase and payment through our electronic banking network, which is the largest in the region; it also gives us yet another opportunity to provide the citizens and residents of the UAE with a service that offers them absolute convenience.”

 “Like all UAE government programmes, flydubai is a visionary airline that will provide travelers with an affordable option to travel around the GCC region, and we will continue to contribute in adding more benefiots and options to flydubai services through our extensive electronic network consisting of eBanking, SMS Banking, ATMs, CDMs and others,” he added.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai, said, "At flydubai we are committed to making travel a little less complex, a little less stressful and a little less expensive. It is important to us to make it as easy as possible for our customers to book and pay for their tickets."

"Partnering with Emirates NBD ensures we are able to offer our customers a stress free and easily accessible means of paying for their flights," he remarked.

Flydubai began commercial operations with flights to Beirut on June 1, 2009 followed by Amman, Damascus and Alexandria.

The airline will cover a region of some two billion inhabitants located within a 4.5hrs flight time from Dubai, Al Ghaith noted.

It will support Dubai’s commercial and tourism sectors by serving a particular demographic of travelers and will give them an affordable air link to popular, high-demand destinations, he added.

The flydubai model is simple, with customers paying for the services they want. The ticket price includes all taxes and a generous hand baggage allowance of 10kg.

From there, customers are able to select other services at an additional charge. flydubai will operate from an enhanced and modernised Terminal 2 on the north side of Dubai International Airport.-TradeArabia News Service