Flydubai has signed a long-term agreement with Unilode Aviation Solutions for fully outsourced unit load device (ULD) management, extending a cargo expansion that began with the airline's first dedicated freighter operations on 1 October.

The deal covers ULD supply, maintenance and repair, fleet planning, repositioning and digital asset tracking across both passenger bellyhold and cargo freighter operations. Unilode will deploy its global maintenance and repair network to support the programme.

Crucially, the contract extends to flydubai's forthcoming widebody operations — the Boeing 787 Dreamliners the carrier expects to add as part of its long-term fleet expansion — meaning the ground equipment framework now in place is built for the next phase of growth, not just the current narrowbody operation.

Why is ULD management suddenly critical for flydubai?

Until this autumn, flydubai ran a pure bellyhold cargo model across its fleet of 98 passenger Boeing 737s. That changed on 1 October, when the Dubai-based carrier launched dedicated freighter operations through a wet-lease agreement with SolitAir adding three Boeing 737-800 freighters.

The airline timed the launch to give it immediate maindeck capability for the fourth-quarter peak season, putting flydubai into direct competition for regional cargo flows for the first time.

Freighters change the ULD equation. Boxes and pallets that fit aircraft cargo holds become a managed asset pool rather than an afterthought of passenger operations, and utilisation rates directly affect how much sellable capacity an airline can reliably offer forwarders and shippers.

Rashed Albashri, vice president of cargo at flydubai, said: "As we introduce our dedicated freighter operations and prepare for our future Boeing 787 passenger and cargo services, improving the visibility and availability of our cargo equipment becomes increasingly important.

"Unilode's digital capabilities and global network will help us optimise operations, improve ULD utilisation and support reliable service delivery across our expanding network."

What does the deal include?

Under the agreement, Unilode provides:

• Specialised containers and pallets for both passenger and freighter holds
• Full maintenance and repair services backed by a global MRO network
• ULD fleet planning and repositioning
• Digital asset tracking for visibility across the network

What are the commercial consequences?

For flydubai, outsourcing ULD management converts a capital-intensive equipment function into a service contract at precisely the moment its cargo business is scaling — from a 98-aircraft narrowbody bellyhold network to a hybrid operation with maindeck capacity and, eventually, 787 widebody hold volume.

For Unilode, the contract adds a fast-growing Gulf carrier to a portfolio increasingly built around full ULD management outsourcing rather than simple leasing. Flydubai's 787 programme gives the supplier a multi-year growth runway tied to fleet deliveries.

For forwarders and shippers in the region, the significance is operational: digital ULD tracking and a managed repair network should reduce the equipment shortages and repositioning delays that typically degrade freighter reliability during peak periods — a persistent pain point on regional corridors where narrowbody freighters cycle quickly.

Unilode Aviation Solutions chief executive Ross Marino said: "As flydubai expands its passenger network, strengthens its cargo freighter operations and prepares for future fleet development with the expected delivery of its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, our outsourced ULD management solution will provide the flexibility, visibility and operational resilience needed to support every stage of that journey."

What comes next?

Flydubai's three SolitAir-wet-leased 737-800 freighters will work through their first full peak season alongside the bellyhold fleet, with the Unilode programme expected to keep equipment availability in step with demand. The arrival of the 787 Dreamliners will mark the next inflection point, adding widebody hold capacity and, potentially, further freighter options to a cargo business that has moved from zero maindeck capability to a structurally supported operation within a single quarter.