Air Arabia free flights on October 28 for fifth anniversary

Air Arabia, the low-cost airline based in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will fly all passengers free of charge on October 28, 2008, as a part of celebrating the carrier’s fifth anniversary.

Passengers to and from all 42 destinations served by Air Arabia, except Doha, will have to pay only airport taxes. The offer covers only one way.

Passengers travelling on October 28 to any destination on the airline’s network will be entitled to a full credit of the fare and surcharges paid.

The offer, however, excludes the government taxes and airport taxes, which are to be borne by the passengers.

Those who had booked flights for October 28 will get their money refunded, according to reports in the local media.

Special fifth-anniversary fares to a wide range of destinations can be found on Air Arabia’s website www.airarabia.com

Air Arabia’s five-day celebrations, which starts on October 26, 2008, will conclude with a day of celebration and family fun on October 31, 2008, at Qanat Al Qasbaa, a leisure, cultural and tourism destination in Sharjah. The celebration activities are open to all age-groups and cultures.

Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa region, operates scheduled services to 42 destinations in the Middle East, North Africa, the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia. Its main base is Sharjah International Airport and it is is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation.

Air Arabia was the first carrier in the Middle East to float on the stock market in 2007 when it offered 55% of its shares, worth around US $700 million, to the public. Subsequently, other regional budget airlines, including Jazeera Airways of Kuwait and NAS of Saudi Arabia entered the market.

Adel Ali, chief executive officer of Air Arabia, said in a statement: “On October 28, 2008, passengers shall board their flights with our compliments. It is the least we can do in recognition of the people who have been flying with us for the last five years.”

“Since its inception in 2003, Air Arabia has witnessed unprecedented growth,” Adel Ali, said.

Air Arabia, which currently operates 15 new Airbus A320 aircraft, has ordered 34 Airbus A320 planes and agreed to option 15 more, in a deal worth about US $3.5 billion.

Of the 42 destinations Air Arabia now flies to, 12 destinations are in India. The total number of destinations will go up to 44 with the introduction of flights to Hyderabad in India and Nairobi in Kenya later in October 2008, the statement from the company said.

The airline, which crossed the 10-million passenger mark in 2007, won in September 2008 the ‘Best Low-Cost Airline Award – Middle East and Africa’ at the World Low-Cost Airline Awards in London. In addition, Adel Ali was named the ‘CEO of the Year.’