Successful Year for the Region's First Low-Cost Airline with over Half a Million Passengers Carried

Sharjah, UAE, 27 October 2004 - Air Arabia LLC, UAE's national airline and first low-cost airline of its kind in the Middle East & North Africa region, celebrates its first anniversary tomorrow. What started as a concept has turned into reality for over thousands of people throughout the Middle East, North African and Sub-continent as Air Arabia has carried over 520,000 passengers since the start of operations in October 2003.

"This is a momentous occasion for the region's first low cost carrier," said Adel Ali, Air Arabia's CEO. ".Air Arabia was a response to the regional need for an airline that offered everything a traveller would want at an affordable price. Without doubt this was to include comfort, service and safety and this is what Air Arabia offers at its most basic level. What it ultimately offers the region is the opportunity of travel - to some that had never flown, to others that wanted to travel more frequently. It brings family and friends together, it allows businesses to visit their clients and network offices more often, it offers you weekend travel for a break or a student to visit their family during half term. Air Arabia has something for every traveller."

Starting operations with 5 destinations - Beirut, Bahrain, Damascus, Kuwait and Muscat and 16 flights a week - Air Arabia now operates over 60 flights a week to 14 destinations in 10 countries within the Middle East, North Africa and Sub-continent. Over the last year Air Arabia has continued to add value over and above the guaranteed 20-50% lower fares it offers with innovative promotions throughout their whole network; partnerships like Emirates Post to allow even greater convenience to passengers when purchasing tickets; services such as their in-flight duty free purchases, in-flight entertainment system on short and long haul routes and exclusive coaches that take passengers to and from the airport as well as a continued promise to bring people closer together.

"Air Arabia has had a successful year to date - not only in terms of passenger load, but across the network we averaged a seat factor of 77%. Our top routes are Alexandria, Aleppo, Bahrain, Damascus and Kuwait," added Adel Ali.

The next six months will see Air Arabia offering increased destinations as its flies to Yemen in November and continues with plans to fly to India, Jordan and Pakistan. In the early part of 2005, its fleet will grow to five Airbus A320 aircraft allowing the airline increased frequency on existing routes and offering passengers the largest seat pitch in the regional market - that of 34 inches in comparison to 29 and at most 31 on most regional airlines.

Air Arabia is a Sharjah government-owned airline which is currently flying from Sharjah to Aleppo, Alexandria, Assiut, Bahrain, Beirut, Colombo, Damascus, Dammam, Doha, Jeddah, Khartoum, Kuwait, Muscat and Riyadh.

Air Arabia offers tremendous opportunities to travellers who are looking for competitive fares. It aims to make air travel more convenient and frequent, while providing the lowest fares in the market without sacrificing the standards of safety, quality or service offered. Bookings can be made through Air Arabia's call centre in Sharjah on (+971 6) 558 0000, Air Arabia travel shops, our website www.airarabia.com, appointed travel agents and Emirates Post offices in UAE. 

-Ends- 

Note to Editors
About Air Arabia LLC:
Air Arabia LLC was established as a fully fledged commercial airline of the United Arab Emirates on 3rd February 2003 by an Ameeri decree issued by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohamed Al Qassimi, the Ruler of Sharjah and Member of the Supreme Council of the UAE. The Air Arabia fleet consists of four modern A320 aircraft, with a fifth expected in the first quarter of 2005, flying directly to destinations in: Bahrain, Egypt, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Syria. Air Arabia is due to start flights twice weekly to Yemen (Sana'a) from November.

Air Arabia Contact:                                                      Press Contact:
Jyotsna Habibullah                                                       Kelly Home / Rabie Al Faqih
Marketing Manager                                                      Gambate! Communications
Tel:  (+971 6) 508 8888 / 508 8853                               Tel:  (+971 4) 391 6424
Email: jhabibullah@airarabia.com                                    Email: kelly@gambate.biz,
Website: www.airarabia.com                                         rabie@gambate.biz

© Press Release 2004