Sharjah-based low-cost carrier Air Arabia has launched a new service to Basra in Iraq.

The new direct flights will connect Sharjah International Airport to Basra International Airport with a frequency of three flights per week starting from June 3.

Basra marks Air Arabia’s fourth destination in Iraq, alongside Baghdad, Erbil and Najaf.

The airline posted a double-digit growth in net earnings to 1.5 billion dirhams ($408.4 million) in 2023, representing a 27% growth over the AED 1.2 billion recorded a year earlier.

However, net profit stood at AED 225 million in Q4 2023, down by 37% from the same period in 2022.

Last year, Air Arabia expanded its operations and introduced 26 new routes within its global network. It also transported 16.7 million passengers last year, up 31% year-on-year.

(Editing by Brinda Darasha; brinda.darasha@lseg.com)