Al Ain on radar as budget carrier hub

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Airport Company (Adac) is set to showcase Al Ain International Airport as a strategic low-cost carrier hub for the Middle East, as it hosts its first Low Cost Airlines World Mena (Middle East and North Africa) Conference at the InterContinental Hotel, Al Ain, which started on Monday and will end on Wednesday.

Khalifa Al Mazroui, chairman of Adac, host sponsors of the event, delivered a welcoming speech at the opening of the conference, which has been designed to bring together senior management of low cost airlines, airport operators and industry suppliers.

Al Mazroui said in a statement released prior to the opening of the event that Adac decided to host this conference as it takes place in one of the aviation industry's most dynamic markets.

"We share the commitment of all conference participants to meet the needs of a price sensitive market, and to provide cost-effective solutions to travellers throughout the region," he added.

Over a period of three days, various panel discussions and keynote speeches are intended to provide a platform for debating key issues and for delegates to share information on best practice strategies from both international and local aviation leaders.

Focus

Rudy Vercelli, Adac CEO, will sit on the CEO discussion panel, which will focus on the constant evolution of low-cost airline business model. This opening session will underline the 'myth to reality' aspect of low cost airlines in the Mena region.

Stressing the importance of Al Ain Airport as one of the fastest and most efficient airports in the UAE, Vercelli pointed out that "aircraft arriving into Al Ain airport experience no holding patterns and taxi times less than three minutes; thus potentially saving over $1 million in fuel consumption compared to other UAE airports".

"Being a non-congested airport and having an efficient ground handling agent, Al Ain airport is able to offer carriers very fast turnaround times," Vercelli said.

Throughout the conference Adac will highlight the existing characteristics that make it well suited to service low-cost carriers.

Al Ain International Airport is approximately one hour's drive from both Abu Dhabi and Dubai It can handle over 1,000 passengers per hour.