AIR Arabia, the first low-cost carrier in the region, is celebrating 10 years of successful operations this year and also marking the completion of a decade of low-cost aviation in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Group chief executive officer Adel Ali said: “By reducing the cost of air travel, and therefore revolutionising air travel in the region, we have created opportunities for more people to travel in the past decade. Ten years ago, we couldn’t have anticipated how rapidly Air Arabia would grow, or how dramatically our pioneering low-cost model would change how, when and at what price people would travel here in the Arab world.
“As we enter into the second decade, we will continue to work hard to become the most preferred airline serving all airports in the Arab world, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to Indian Ocean, whilst focusing on providing efficiency and superior customer comfort.”
Air Arabia, the first publicly listed airline in the Arab world and the largest airline by market value, today serves 86 destinations from three operational hubs in the UAE, Morocco and Egypt. The carrier’s existing fleet consists of 34 aircraft with 10 additional aircraft planned to join the fleet in 2014.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, Air Arabia also unveiled a special Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring a unique 10-year livery to signify the carrier’s entry into its second decade. The commemorative aircraft shuttles between the original launch destinations served by Air Arabia.
The airline also recently announced the launch of flights to Hofuf, making it the tenth destination in Saudi Arabia that the airline serves from its main base in Sharjah. The regular service to the Eastern Province in the kingdom marks the airline’s 87th global destination.