PISA — Good morning from Pisa International Airport (PSA). As the final preparations for the 2025 edition of the Dubai Airshow take place, we are heading to the Emirati megalopolis on board flydubai (FZ). FZ operates an all-Boeing narrow-body fleet to destinations in Asia, Africa, and Europe, spanning from Krabi to Basel.

At the 2023 Dubai Airshow, FZ placed a firm order for its first-ever wide-body, the Boeing 787-9. The aircraft will provide FZ with the range and capacity to support its growth and long-haul ambitions, opening new routes and relieving pressure on high-demand routes.

flydubai operates two weekly flights to the Tuscan city, offering the longest nonstop connection from PSA. The airport’s traffic is mainly comprised of low-cost carriers, with Ryanair (FR) operating over 1,200 flights in October, according to Cirium. Flights FZ1295/1296 are operated by the Boeing 737-8 featuring ten lie-flat business class at the front and 156 economy class seats in the main cabin.

I arrived at the airport by car and headed to the check-in, which opens three hours before departure. Here, the airport staff weighed my suitcase and issued my initial boarding pass. I pre-selected seat 15F in the emergency row. Until this moment, I was convinced my journey would be in economy class. However, the ground staff informed me that I could have received a complimentary upgrade at the gate if there had been any availability.

The check-in process was overall smooth and friendly, with no lines in either the business class or economy class lines. I then headed to security, which was equally fast, and cleared the passport control in no time. The airport offers good dining options and plenty of places for typical food and drinks.

Importantly, seating space was more than enough, which is a priority that is often overlooked in large international airports, where retail income frequently takes precedence over passenger comfort. The WiFi was relatively slow, but still allowed me to keep track of social media and work ahead of the airshow, which is set to be a busy one.

At the gate, the ground staff handed me my new business-class boarding pass: upgrade scored! I was allocated seat 3D, the right aisle seat at the end of the ten-seat cabin. Boarding proceeded flawlessly on time, with a moderate load factor on today’s flight.

I boarded ahead of time to check out the clean cabin and record some footage for our YouTube video review. The aircraft, A6-FMO, arrived on time from Dubai International Airport. It got cleaned, and the crew swapped, with our crew ending their Italian layover with this flight.

I usually mention the crew at the end; however, they must be commended from the beginning. It is rare to find such passion and friendliness anywhere in customer service, but their enthusiasm and professionalism really stood out from the start.

After taking some pictures and videos, it was soon time to settle at my seat, where a bottle of water, noise-cancelling headphones, and a pillow awaited me. The business class cabin filled up immediately and was fully booked on this flight. We received a welcome drink, and I opted for some apple juice before taxiing to the runway perfectly on time.

We took off for this 6:06-hour eastbound flight, cruising through some clouds as we climbed above Tuscany. I checked the seat before dinner: all business-class seats convert to a lie-flat bed and come with a universal power outlet, USB charger, reading light, and IFE remote. The remote is quite basic but valuable for quickly adjusting the screen’s settings and features a small display showing the remaining flight time.

Overall, the IFE was responsive and well designed, with easily accessible titles and games. I started a movie before receiving the aperitif: mixed nuts, crisps, and a glass of champagne. A printed menu for dining and beverages was provided, a touch I always look forward to. The main course consisted of three options, and since we flew from Tuscany, I particularly enjoyed the beef with mashed potato and the “panzanella salad”, something hard to find anywhere else in Italy.

This was paired with fresh bread, including focaccia. A superb tiramisu concluded the meal, during which the cabin crew checked on the cabin multiple times.

I then reclined my bed and freshened up in the dedicated lavatory at the front of the cabin. Before taking a relatively long nap, I spent some time chatting with the cabin director and captain, covering topics spanning from FZ’s ambitions to their personal careers and travel plans for when in Italy.

The noise-cancelling headphones worked well and isolated me from the rather disturbing noise created by other passengers throughout the whole flight. I slept for a couple of hours before waking up as we began crossing the Arabian Gulf. We were served a warm snack consisting of a chicken wrap, and immediately after, the cabin was prepared for approach. We flew into the darkness some time before Dubai’s skyline appeared on the horizon. I could film a bit from my neighbor’s window as we descended and lined up.

We touched down on time and taxied to the opposite end of DXB, where buses awaited us. I quickly visited the cockpit before joining my fellow travelers on a long and enjoyable ride to T3’s arrival. Here I caught up with my friends and colleagues at DXB airport; they had just landed from Milan Bergamo, and you can read more about their travel experience on this website.