Air Arabia operations begin from RAK International Airport
Air Arabia marked the start of operations from Ras Al Khaimah.
The event was marked with an official ceremony attended by Shaikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqar Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah; Shaikh Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, chairman of the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Ras Al Khaimah; and Shaikh Abdullah bin Mohammad Al Thani, chairman of Air Arabia.
Earlier in the morning, Air Arabia’s inaugural flight departed from RAK International Airport, travelling to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. At the ceremony, Air Arabia and Ras Al Khaimah DCA said that they are both committed to using the start of this service to further strengthen the travel and tourism sector of the emirate.
The launch of operations follows the recent establishment of an Air Arabia hub at RAK International Airport, which is the airline’s fourth international base, and second in the UAE. Two new Airbus A320 aircraft have now been based in Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, following a strategic partnership signed between the airline and Ras Al Khaimah Department of Civil Aviation. Air Arabia launch routes include direct services to Jeddah in Saudi; Cairo in Egypt; Muscat in Oman; Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar in Pakistan; Dhaka in Bangladesh; and to be followed by Calicut in India.
Al Qasimi said: “Our partnership with Air Arabia will allow us to increase the accessibility of Ras Al Khaimah to international passengers, whilst also increasing the flow of tourism to the emirates, which will have a direct effect on the local economy. This step further signifies the important role we place in developing the aviation scene in the emirate which in return will support the ambitious plans we have set for developing the emirate’s tourism and business sectors.”
Al Thani said: “We are delighted to extend our reach across the UAE through our new hub in Ras Al Khaimah and this partnership marks an exciting new era for air travel in the Emirates. The establishment of our operations in RAK International Airport testifies the synergy between the emirate’s tourism expansion plans and Air Arabia’s ambitious route expansion strategy. We look forward to extending our routes from RAK as we continue to make travel more convenient for people living and working in the Northern Emirates.”