‘We Are Currently In Discussions With Indian Aviation Authorities To Launch Our Services’

Adel Ali, CEO, Air Arabia in an exclusive with Charmaine Fernz talks about his strategies for the airline as well as impending plans to enter India

With a successful concept in place, what is Air Arabia's plan for 2005?

The year will see the augmentation of our fleet, as we will add a fifth Airbus A320, this month as well as an increase in destinations. We will continue with our plans to fly to India, Jordan and Pakistan as well as offering passengers added value-through promotions, partnerships, in-flight services and travel packages.

Does the airline plan to enter the Indian skies? If yes, when?

Yes. Since our conception, it has always been part of our business plan to fly to India. We are currently in discussions with Indian civil aviation authorities and as soon as we are given the necessary approvals we will begin our flights to India.

What is your target for 2005 in terms of passengers and sales?

Our overall target is to increase the number of passengers that travel on Air Arabia and let them experience first-hand what we have to offer. Our first year of operations proved successful for the region's first low-cost airline and we are looking forward to another year of growth. We carried over a half million passengers during our first year, now offer over 85 flights a week to fifteen destinations and we will endeavour to offer more services and value to our passengers at guaranteed 20-50 per cent lower fares than conventional airlines.

How important is the role of the Internet in Air Arabia's operations?

Historically, a significant part of the success of a low cost airline is due to the Internet as it is one of the reasons we can operate at such competitive prices. It reduces paper and processing costs thanks to the provision of an online booking engine and provides passengers with the flexibility of selecting their flights and paying for them immediately. We have experienced a huge growth in online bookings since we started and look to increasing this over the next year of operations.

With a number of Middle-East carriers setting shop, how would Air Arabia differentiate itself?

Air Arabia is the first low-cost airline of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region. We will continue to differentiate ourselves through our promotions, partnerships and the services that we offer our customers such as in-flight entertainment, more distribution channels, a wider flight network and new destinations. We will continue to offer an innovative and reliable product appealing to vacation and business travellers alike through our well trained staff; by utilising the latest technology and by ensuring high value returns for passengers, business partners, investors and suppliers.