New airline takes flight
Sharjah’s low-cost pioneer teams up with the capital’s flag carrier.
By Gabriel Leigh
On July 14, the UAE’s fifth national carrier took off from Abu Dhabi bound for Alexandria. A flight to Sohag in Upper Egypt departed the following day.
The airline, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, is a low-cost carrier—the capital’s first. A joint venture between Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways and Sharjah-based low-cost pioneer Air Arabia, the airline will initially serve Abu Dhabi with two Airbus A320s.
Commercial aviation in the UAE has enjoyed a meteoric rise since the launch of Emirates in 1985. Air Arabia grew rapidly, confounding those who forecast that the low-cost model could not work in the Gulf. But the new venture is founded against the backdrop of a crisis for global aviation: the Covid-19 pandemic slashed demand for air travel by over 90% at its peak, according to the International Air Transport Association.
“While the global aviation sector continues to witness unprecedented challenges, this step is a testament to the strength of the UAE aviation sector and our commitment to its long-term prospects,” said Adel Ali, Air Arabia’s group CEO. “We look forward to expanding [the] destination network as more airports open up and flights resume.”
The new carrier will serve destinations where there is growing demand from price-sensitive travellers. One fly in the ointment could be the arrival of European low-cost juggernaut, Wizz Air. The airline announced that its long-planned operation, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, will begin flights on October 1.
