Dubai-based flydubai recently became the first operator of Boeing's latest Split Scimitar Winglet technology.

The airline completed the first installation of the Split Scimitar Winglets on one of its Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft late last month at Joramco in Amman, Jordan according to the Centre for Aviation (CAPA).

The government-owned budget carrier said it will be installing the technology on most of its planes late next year.

"flydubai intends to install the Split Scimitar Winglets on a majority of its Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft by October 2020," the statement said.

The winglets, which took its name from a Middle Eastern sword with a curved blade, is expected to reduce the drag and improve the fuel efficiency of aircraft.

"After a thorough evaluation of the Split Scimitar Winglet System, flydubai clearly recognized the enhanced performance and improvement to the operating economics of the Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 fleet," Aviation Partners Boeing director of sales and marketing Christopher Stafford said.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: "The Split Scimitar Winglets have been in use since 2013 and we have seen many airlines around the world benefit from this technology both financially and environmentally. Choosing to invest in the latest technologies and to retrofit our fleet is part of fulfilling our commitment to cost and operational efficiency and passing on the savings to our passengers."

The Split Scimitar Winglet modification reduces Boeing Next-Generation 737 block fuel consumption for flydubai by an additional 1.5% over the Blended Winglets. The Split Scimitar Winglet System will reduce flydubai's annual fuel requirements by more than 200,000 litres per aircraft, and their carbon dioxide emissions by over 510 tonnes per aircraft per year.

Since launching the Next-Generation Boeing 737 Split Scimitar Winglet program, Boeing has taken orders and options for 2,300 systems, and over 1,200 aircraft are now operating with the technology. 

Overall, Boeing estimates that its products have reduced aircraft fuel consumption worldwide by over 10.0 billion gallons to-date thereby saving over 105 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.