Air Arabia
| File:Air arab.gif | |||||||
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| Founded | February 3, 2003 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | Sharjah International Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 10 | ||||||
| Destinations | 36 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Sharjah, United Arab Emirates | ||||||
| Key people | Adel Ali (CEO) | ||||||
| Website | http://www.airarabia.com | ||||||
Air Arabia is a low-cost airline based in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. It operates scheduled services to 32 destinations in the Middle East, North Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and Central Asia. Its main base is Sharjah International Airport[1]. Air Arabia is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization.
History
Air Arabia was established on February 3, 2003 by an Ameeri decree issued by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohamed Al Qassimi, 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 October 28, 2003 with the first flight from Sharjah, UAE to Bahrain International Airport. It issued a successful initial public offering for 55% of its stock early in 2007.[1].
Based in Sharjah International Airport, Air Arabia's passengers enjoy the benefits of quick access to Dubai, fast check-in processes, low congestion, friendly airport staff, as well as access to many other commercial carriers served at the airport.[1].
Future plans
Air Arabia plan to setup a secondary hub in the Moroccan capital Rabat that will allow them to expand in Europe and Africa, they signed a management agreement with Regional Air Lines, a private carrier in Morocco for this purpose.
Air Arabia will take over management of the airline and apply its business model to it. In addition, Air Arabia and Bahrain-based Ithmaar Bank will invest capital in the Moroccan airline[1].
Destinations
Incidents and accidents
A passenger on board an Air Arabia flight to Saudi Arabia on March 18, 2007, tried to force his way into the cockpit of the plane, forcing it to return to Sharjah International Airport. The Sri Lankan passenger became violent towards other travellers and crew shortly after take-off and then tried to open the cockpit door. Police boarded the plane at Sharjah and arrested the man[3].
Fleet
The Air Arabia fleet consists of the following aircraft as of October 2007:[4]
| Aircraft | Total | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | 10 |
References
- ^ a b c "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-03-27. p. 52.
- ^ Air Arabia Destinations
- ^ AME Info - Air Arabia flight disrupted 21 March 2007
- ^ Air Arabia Corporate Fleet Information
External links
- Air Arabia
- Air Arabia (Al Arabia) - Company Profile
- Air Arabia Fleet
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