Dubai: Sharjah-headquartered Air Arabia, one of the region’s largest low-cost carriers (LCC), marked the resumption of its first flight to Basra in Iraq from Sharjah International Airport on Friday. The new route connects Sharjah and Basra with a frequency of four weekly flights, the airline said in a statement. Basra is Air Arabia's fourth direct route to Iraq from Sharjah, following Baghdad, Najaf, and Erbil.
Upon arrival at Basra International Airport, the Air Arabia aircraft was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute.
“Air Arabia’s new flights to Basra mark a significant milestone in our commitment to providing affordable travel options within the region," said Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia.
"The new service offers our customers the opportunity to connect directly between both cities and benefit from our value-driven product and services while further contributing to strong travel and trade ties between both countries," he said.
Air Arabia operates a fleet of 72 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. In an earlier interview with Gulf News, Ali said the airline is en route to expanding its fleet size to 90 aircraft before the end of 2024, adding more leased planes.
Ali said growth plans “will continue regardless” of jet delivery delays caused by ongoing “supply chain and geopolitical challenges”.
