N.O.R.F Posted November 8, 2007 Hmmm, interesting. Connect in Rabat towards London? Air Arabia to set up hub in Morocco By Ivan Gale, Staff Reporter Published: November 07, 2007, 23:32 Dubai: Air Arabia will establish a second hub in the Moroccan capital of Rabat that will allow it to carry passengers to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, the company said yesterday. The Sharjah-based budget airline announced on Wednesday that it has signed a management agreement with Regional Air Lines, a private carrier in Morocco. Under the agreement, Air Arabia will assume management control of the carrier and apply its business model to its management. In addition, Air Arabia and Bahrain-based Ithmaar Bank will invest capital in the Moroccan airline. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "This agreement provides us with the opportunity to reach into fast-growing markets in North Africa and across the Med-iterranean into southern Europe," said CEO Adel Ali. "Air Arabia will now be able to expand this coverage area across the Europe, Middle East and Africa [EMEA] region." Mohammad Hassan Bin Salah, chairman of Regional Air Lines, said, "Considering that Morocco expects to welcome an estimated 10 million tourists a year by 2010, this is an timely announcement. There is also a very large Moroccan diaspora who will benefit." Air Arabia, widely expected to place an order of 34 to 50 aircraft worth $4 billion at next week's Dubai Airshow, has said in the past it wants to develop three hubs in total. Air Arabia was founded in 2003 and became profitable two years later. In 2006, it carried 1.7 million passengers. It is the first budget airline in the Middle East and North Africa, but it will not be the first to establish a second base of operations. That distinction goes to Kuwait's Jazeera Airways, which opened a hub in Dubai earlier this year. source: Gulf News Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
