Air Arabia

Air Arabia
IATA
G9		 ICAO
ABY		 Callsign
ARABIA
Founded 3 February 2003
Commenced operations 28 October 2003
Operating bases Sharjah International Airport, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport
Alliance Arab Air Carriers Organization
Subsidiaries
Fleet size 38
Destinations 89
Headquarters Sharjah International Airport, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Key people Adel Ali (Group CEO)
Website www.airarabia.com

Air Arabia (Arabic: العربية للطيران‎) is a low-cost airline with its head office in the Sharjah Freight Center, Sharjah International Airport, in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

The airline operates scheduled services to 51 destinations in the Middle East, North Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia and Europe to 22 countries from Sharjah, 28 destinations in 9 countries from Casablanca, Fez, Nador and Tangier and 6 destinations in 4 countries from Alexandria.

Its main base is Sharjah International Airport. What distinguishes Air Arabia from many low cost carriers is that it offers connections to many flights at its base in Sharjah. Air Arabia also has focus cities in Alexandria and Casablanca.[1] Air Arabia is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization.

History

Air Arabia (العربية للطيران) was established on 3 February 2003 by an Amiri decree issued by Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al-Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah and member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates, becoming the first low-fare airline in the region. The airline started operations on 28 October 2003 with the first flight from Sharjah, UAE to Bahrain International Airport. The airline was profitable from the first year of being in business. It launched an initial public offering for 55% of its stock early in 2007.[1]

Corporate affairs

An Air Arabia Airbus A320-200 approaching Toulouse–Blagnac Airport (2012)

Headquarters

The headquarters is in the Sharjah airport Freight Center,[2] on the property of Sharjah International Airport. The airport is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) away from central Dubai.

Joint ventures

An Air Arabia Airbus A320-200 (2012)

Air Arabia has created joint ventures at three international bases. The following countries have had or still do have JV airlines based there:

Egypt

Air Arabia Egypt (2010–present) - On 9 September 2009, Air Arabia announced Air Arabia Egypt as a joint venture with Egyptian travel and tourism company Travco Group to be based in Alexandria, Egypt.[3] The airline received its operating license on 22 May 2010, with commercial flights beginning 1 June 2010. The fleet in Egypt consists of three aircraft, two operating a scheduled service and one carrying charter traffic from Europe to the Red Sea.

Jordan

Air Arabia Jordan (TBA) - On 7 June 2010, Air Arabia announced that they had signed a deal with Tantash Group to form Air Arabia Jordan which will be based in Amman, Jordan. The proposed airline will operate flights from Queen Alia International Airport to Europe, Middle East and North Africa.[4] On June 14, 2011 the airline announced it was delaying plans to establish a hub in the country amid regional unrest and soaring fuel costs.[5]

In January 2015 Air Arabia announced the acquisition of a 49% stake in Petra Airlines. The principal shareholder of Petra Airlines, the RUM Group, retain a 51% stake in the airline, which will be rebranded as Air Arabia Jordan in early 2015. It will initially operate 2 Airbus A320 aircraft and there are plans to develop a new hub in Amman.[6]

Morocco

Air Arabia Maroc (2009–present) - Air Arabia, in a joint venture with Moroccan investors established Air Arabia Maroc and set up a secondary base in Morocco's largest city, Casablanca; it began operations on 6 May 2009, allowing them to expand into Europe and Africa.

The Maroc fleet consists of four aircraft serving mainly European destinations.

Nepal

Fly Yeti (2007–2008) - In 2007, Air Arabia opened a base in Nepal's capital Kathmandu to serve Asia and the Middle East, with the signing of a joint venture agreement with Yeti Airlines, establishing a low-cost carrier, called Fly Yeti that provided service to an international destinations. Due to the uncertain political and economic situation prevailing in Nepal and lack of local government support, FlyYeti operations were suspended in 2008.

Destinations

Air Arabia destinations

As of February 2014, Air Arabia serves 90 airports across the Middle East, North Africa, Asia and Europe, with the latest being Cairo, Egypt.[7][8]

Fleet

As of March 2015, the Air Arabia fleet consists of the following aircraft, with an average age of 3.1 years, which are all equipped with 162/168 passenger seats in an all-economy class cabin layout.[9][10]

 Air Arabia
Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers[nb 1]
Airbus A320-200 38 12 162/168
  1. ↑ Number of Business and Economy seats varies according to demand

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-03-27. p. 52.
  2. ↑ "Contact Info." Air Arabia. Retrieved on 21 June 2010. "Air Arabia (UAE) Air Arabia Head Quarters Sharjah Freight Center (Cargo),at Sharjah International Airport P.O. Box 132 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates" - Arabic: "العربية للطيران الامارات مركز الشارقة لنقل البضائع (الشحن) ،بالقرب من مطار الشارقة الدولي ص. ب. 132 الشارقة، الإمارات العربية المتحدة"
  3. ↑ "Air Arabia announced new Egyptian airline". Airarabia.com. Retrieved 2011-10-08.
  4. ↑ "Air Arabia signs deal to launch budget carrier in Jordan". Arabianbusiness.com. 2010-06-07. Retrieved 2011-10-08.
  5. ↑ "Air Arabia delays Jordan plans amid unrest, fuel prices", Reuters. June 14, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2011
  6. ↑ "Air Arabia Expands into Jordan". Airliner World: 13. March 2015.
  7. ↑ "Destinations - Air Arabia". Air Arabia. Retrieved 2013-12-19.
  8. ↑ "Air Arabia adds Cairo as its 90th Worldwide Destination". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  9. ↑ "Fleet - Air Arabia". Air Arabia. Retrieved 2013-12-19.
  10. ↑ 21 February 2014. "Air Arabia Fleet in Planespotters.net". planespotters.net. Retrieved 2014-02-21.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Air Arabia.