Air Arabia flies 10 millionth passenger

Sharjah: Air Arabia, a low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and North Africa, has flown more than 10 million passengers since its launch in October 2003. The carrier passed the mark at the end of June 2008.

In the first half of 2008, Air Arabia carried more than 1.6 million passengers, an increase of 33 per cent compared to 1.2 million passengers in the corresponding period last year. Passenger average load factor passengers carried as a proportion of available seats for the first half of 2008 stood at 86 per cent, a three per cent increase compared to same period last year.

The company purchased three aircraft during the first half of this year and increased frequency to its existing destinations, providing customers with the region's best flight connectivity.

The Sharjah-based carrier also introduced four new destinations in the first six months of this year, including Kozhikode, India; New Delhi, India; Shiraz, Iran; and Dhaka, Bangladesh.

This increased Air Arabia's total network to 41 destinations across the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and Central Asia.