MSYYZ From Canada, joined Oct 2005, 846 posts, RR: 9 Posted (7 years 2 months 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 1239 times:
Air Arabia LLC, the first and only low-fares airline in the Middle East and North Africa, announced today that it has just crossed the 2 million passenger milestone since it started operations in October 2003.
Air Arabia already has a number of significant achievements in its first two years of operation, with financial break-even in year one, followed by record profits in year two as well as strong fleet growth and expansion to 25 destinations.
Air Arabia's Head of Marketing Duncan Osborne said, "Air Arabia is truly an airline for the people and we see that in the people who fly with us who come from all walks of life and from across the Middle East. We are thrilled to have reached this major milestone today and shall continue to offer flights at affordable fares to more customers across the region." Current Air Arabia destinations include Aleppo and Damascus (Syria), Alexandria, Assiut, Luxor and Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), Aqaba and Amman (Jordan), Astana and Almaty (Kazakhstan), Bahrain, Beirut (Lebanon), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh (KSA), Doha (Qatar), Khartoum (Sudan), Kuwait, Mumbai and Nagpur (India), Muscat (Oman), Sana'a (Yemen), Sharjah (UAE) and Tehran (Iran).
MSYYZ From Canada, joined Oct 2005, 846 posts, RR: 9 Reply 2, posted (7 years 2 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 1220 times:
Quoting MSYYZ (Thread starter): , the first and only low-fares airline in the Middle East
Just a little correction , it is not the (only) LLC in the M/E .Air Arabia already has a number of significant achievements in its first two years of operation, with financial break-even in year one, followed by record profits in year two as well as strong fleet growth and expansion to 25 destinations.
B742 From UK - England, joined Mar 2005, 3760 posts, RR: 21 Reply 3, posted (7 years 2 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 1215 times:
Great news to hear Air Arabia doing well
When they first started operations in 2003 I was a bit worried whether the airline would survive or not in the tough Gulf region (especialy with EK nearby at DXB). I was proved wrong, and well done Air Arabia
Curious From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2005, 236 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (7 years 2 months 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 1167 times:
Come to think of it is it there a saudi LCC on the way as well as an Iranian Easeon air? both have large domestic markets but while there may be few oprertors in KSA there is plenty in Iran.
Stealthpilot From India, joined May 2004, 510 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (7 years 2 months 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 1121 times:
Quoting HUYfan (Reply 10): New destinations listed in the Air Arabia booking system are:
I am not 100% sure that Air Arabia has rights to some of those cities. I know they have a tie up with Kingfisher Airlines, maybe thats how they can sell tickets to some of the listed cities.
eP007
Okees From Canada, joined Sep 2005, 424 posts, RR: 6 Reply 12, posted (7 years 2 months 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 1103 times:
I think Air Aqaba or jordan aviation, (whatever their name is) is a LCC, not sure though, might be a charter airline. I really dont know whats going on with them. They have an A310-300, A310-200, A320, 733. Talk about a weird fleet. one of each. Their website doesnt even work. so... its a weird airline.
MSYYZ From Canada, joined Oct 2005, 846 posts, RR: 9 Reply 13, posted (7 years 2 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1055 times:
It looks like Arab air carriers are enjoying big profits due to increased traffic to N.Africa and the Middle East .
In 2004 , there was an impressive 19% increase in traffic to N.African and Middle Eastern Airports followed by another 6.8% increase in the first 3 Quarters of 2005 .
In 2004 , Arab carriers recorded a 24% increase in Passengers with a load factor of 68.7% an increase of 1.9%.
In the first 3 Quarters of 2005 , Arab carriers have seen another 7.6% increase in Passengers over 2004 with a load factor increase of 1.88% to 74.4% .
On a side note , Royal Air Maroc has sustained growth in its scheduled flights during its fiscal year 2005, starting November 2004 till September 2005.
Royal Air Maroc and its subsidiary, Atlas Blue, conveyed 4,104,126 passengers during its 2005 fiscal year, which is a 21% increase to the fiscal year 2004. For its regular routes, Royal Air Maroc conveyed 3,252,490 passengers a 19% increase on 2004 and Atlas Blue transported 732,502 passengers.
The airline declared that this rise in traffic is mainly due to the increasing number of tourists and Moroccan immigrants to Morocco, whereby traffic increased by 14% from France, 12% from Italy, 14% from Holland, 13% from Spain, 17% from North America, 19% from the Middle East and 18% on its domestic routes.
Billy From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2000, 895 posts, RR: 8 Reply 14, posted (7 years 2 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1051 times:
Air Arabia are interesting - I had a chat with them recently. They encourage hubbing through SHJ (especially from India) and they are looking for a second base in the Mid East. They do suffer from lack of traffic rights, but are very happy with the way things are going.
MSYYZ, Al Nozha Airport (ALY) continues to be their most profitable and most frequently served destination (14x weekly flights).
They are still persuing CAI services but I very much doubt it will materialise in the foreseeable future. In fact they originally planned to start flights to CAI with 2x weekly flights on the 27th of April 2004. Here was the planned timetable:
MSYYZ From Canada, joined Oct 2005, 846 posts, RR: 9 Reply 17, posted (7 years 2 months 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 974 times:
Quoting Horus (Reply 16): They are still persuing CAI services but I very much doubt it will materialise in the foreseeable future
Horus , if they ever open CAI route it will be a disaster to MS on CAI- DXB and CAI- SHJ routes and EK on its DXB-CAI route .
Shrajah is only 10 minutes driving away from DXB , and looking at the nature of PAX on these routes , most of them are workers who would definitley go for the cheaper fares of Air Arabia . Actually some passengers were quoted saying that they used to travel once a year between Emirates and Egypt but now with the low fares of Air Arabia they can afford to travel more every year . Of course , MS and EK Business travellers won't be affected . What do you think ?
Aussie_ From Australia, joined Dec 2000, 1765 posts, RR: 5 Reply 18, posted (7 years 2 months 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 947 times:
I flew G9 a couple of weeks ago SHJ-AQJ-SSH-SHJ. I was most impressed for what I paid. Clean modern plane, allocated seating, inflight movie etc. In fact apart for paying for food and drink, it could have been a full-service airline.
Cedars747 From Norway, joined Dec 2005, 2686 posts, RR: 23 Reply 19, posted (7 years 2 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 940 times:
Quoting MSYYZ (Reply 17): that they used to travel once a year between Emirates and Egypt but now with the low fares of Air Arabia they can afford to travel more every year . Of course , MS and EK Business travellers won't be affected
C'est trés logique ! I will fly every month with Air Arabia amazing fares
Greetings from RIO
Alex!!!
Horus From Egypt, joined Feb 2004, 5230 posts, RR: 62 Reply 21, posted (7 years 2 months 17 hours ago) and read 901 times:
Quoting MSYYZ (Reply 17): Horus , if they ever open CAI route it will be a disaster to MS on CAI- DXB and CAI- SHJ routes and EK on its DXB-CAI route .
Shrajah is only 10 minutes driving away from DXB , and looking at the nature of PAX on these routes , most of them are workers who would definitley go for the cheaper fares of Air Arabia . Actually some passengers were quoted saying that they used to travel once a year between Emirates and Egypt but now with the low fares of Air Arabia they can afford to travel more every year . Of course , MS and EK Business travellers won't be affected . What do you think ?
Well G9 is still not cheap but they're just cheaper than mainline carriers. If (and that's a big if) the Egyptian authorities grant G9 access to CAI it will be no earlier than 2008 and they will face restriction as the Qataris have just recently done. Read here. This will allow LCCs to offer cheaper fares but within limits. I understand this is government interference which should ideally have nothing do with regulating services but given the nature of the Middle Eastern market I think it might be need until the market is fully liberalised.
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