Air Arabia takes off

The first destination of many, Air Arabia's inaugural flight flew an official delegation, led by His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Moh'd Al-Thani, Air Arabia's Chairman to Bahrain's International Airport, where they were met by dignitaries, press and officials. Following the flight, VIP guests were greeted with a small reception which included speeches by His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Moh'd Al-Thani and Mr Adel Ali, Air Arabia's CEO.

Speaking on the occasion, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani said: "Air Arabia's inaugural flight marks a new chapter in the region's aviation market. Born out of the realization of a need in the market, Air Arabia aims to provide citizens of the region with a simple and efficient service at economical, competitive and value-for-money fares."

"We chose to launch Air Arabia's services at Sharjah International Airport as it will allow customers the benefits of fast check-in processes, low congestion, friendly airport staff, proximity to Dubai and the northern Emirates, as well as access to many other commercial carriers served at the airport," said Adel Ali, Air Arabia's CEO.

Air Arabia will currently be flying to Bahrain, Beirut (Lebanon), Damascus (Syria), Kuwait and Muscat (Oman). The projected destination list will cover: Amman (Jordan), Cairo (Egypt), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Doha (Qatar), Isfahan, Shiraz and Tehran (Iran), Sana'a (Yemen) and Saudi Arabia.

Air Arabia will offer tremendous opportunities to travellers who are looking for competitive fares. It aims to make air travel more convenient and frequent, while providing the lowest fares in the market without sacrificing the standards of service offered. Air Arabia's online booking service can be accessed at www.airarabia.com.