Air Arabia expands sub-continental operations with services to New Delhi

The Middle East and North Africa region's pioneering and largest low-cost carrier (LCC), Air Arabia, has announced that it will launch services to New Delhi, the Indian capital, beginning 31 March 2008. The carrier said that initially it would operate services four times a week between New Delhi and its hub in Sharjah converting it to a daily service by the beginning of May.

The start of services to New Delhi would also make it Air Arabia's 11th destination on the Indian sub-continent, the largest destination network in India of any Middle East-based carrier.

Currently, Air Arabia provides direct service to Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Jaipur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mumbai, Nagpur and Thiruvananthapuram.

''Following the introduction of service to Kozhikode last month, we are delighted to further expand our destination network to India by announcing the launch of service to New Delhi,'' said AK Nizar, head, commercial department, Air Arabia. ''The capital of India, with a population in excess of 14 million, New Delhi is one of the most vital financial centres in the wider South Asia region. By introducing timely, efficient and cost-effective travel options for those visiting this historic city, Air Arabia continues to demonstrate its unmatched commitment to India, especially on behalf of the significant Indian expatriate population in the UAE and wider Gulf region.

''Like the UAE,'' Nizar said, ''India is in the midst of a period of unprecedented economic expansion, and Air Arabia is proud to facilitate the strengthening of trade and financial ties between the two countries. With a $1 trillion national economy and annual fiscal growth in excess of 8.5 per cent, India is clearly one of the world's fastest-emerging economies. Nowhere is that expansion more evident than in the country's rapidly evolving capital.''