U.A.E. to set up yet another Airline

The skies above the Gulf might get even more crowded next year as plans for a new Abu Dhabi-based low-cost airline get underway.

The new airline to come out of the capital emirate will be the United Arab Emirates’ third budget airline, following in the footsteps of flyDubai based in Dubai and Air Arabian in Sharjah.

In parallel with the Gulf’s premium airlines, the low cost segment of the market has seen substantial growth, with six new carriers established over as many years, including Air Arabian in 2003 in Sharjah, Kuwaiti Jazeera Airways and Saudi Arabian Sama Airlines.

“Abu Dhabi has to compete in the low cost segment because it is already happening in Dubai and Sharjah,” Bentley said. “There are other smaller airports poised to start competing in low cost such as Al-Ain and Fujairah”

While the major airlines focus on business clientele or tourists flying long haul routes to destinations like the United States, China and India, the low cost airlines tend to focus on inter-regional routes.

Source: The Media Line