Dubai: Ras Al Khaimah International expects “at least two more airlines” to be flying to the airport within the next 12 months following Qatar Airway’s announcement on Wednesday it will launch direct flights from October 1.
“This will now set a trend for other airlines to look at Ras Al Khaimah Airport as the gateway to the UAE, particularly the Northern Emirates,” RAK Airport Chief Executive, Mohammad Qazi, told Gulf News at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai on Wednesday.
Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker announced the new Ras Al Khaimah-Doha service at ATM earlier in the day. The route launches on October 1 and will operate daily, bringing Qatar Airways’ frequency to the UAE to 196 weekly flights. It also flies to Dubai International, Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central, Abu Dhabi International and Sharjah International.
Qazi said RAK Airport is in negotiations with a number of airlines to launch scheduled services, however, declined to disclose the names of the carriers. He said the two that he expects to start operating from RAK Airport will be “established legacy airlines.”
Last May, Air Arabia launched hub services from the airport following the collapse of RAK Airways. Qazi said that over the past 12 months “around 450,000” passengers have passed through the airport, of which 80 per cent were Air Arabia passengers. He said he expects 600,000 passengers to use the airport over the coming 12 months with a German charter operator to start daily services in October, meanwhile talks with a Russian charter to fly four times week are finalizing.
Qazi also said RAK Airport signed an agreement on Sunday with SKA International Group to develop a 15,000 square foot cargo and logistics centre at the airport.
