Air Arabia ferries 23,000 Indian passengers in 2005

122% rise in no of Air Arabia travellers from India

BY A CORRESPONDENT
February 22, 2006

West Asian low-cost carrier Air Arabia has ferried 23,000 passengers in 2005 from India to the Gulf, registering a 122 per cent increase in number of travelers. The carrier, which flies daily services from Mumbai and five times a week from Nagpur, has also recorded a 90% rise in the number of flights from India.

Air Arabia flew to Gulf from its two destinations in India, Mumbai and Nagpur. It was also the first international low-cost airline to start operations in the country.

"Air Arabia has successfully maintained affordable airfares to the Gulf from India, with an average fare of Rs 5,333 from Mumbai to Sharjah and Rs 3,270 from Nagpur to Sharjah," its Chairman Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammad Al Thani said in a release.

Air Arabia had appointed 110 travel agencies and opened offices in Mumbai, Nagpur and Kochi. The airline had also announced a $8.7 million profit in fiscal 2005.

Air Arabia Manager (India) Rohit Ramachandran said, "We have remained true to our promise of maintaining punctual and affordable travel from India to the Gulf".