New UAE budget airline makes its first flight
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi flew to Alexandria today and is now offering low-cost flights to Egypt as airlines in the Gulf country show signs of recovery.
The newest airline in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) completed its first flight today. Airlines in the Gulf country, which has two major transit hubs, are starting to show signs of recovery from the global travel crisis.
The aptly named Air Arabia Abu Dhabi flew from its base in Abu Dhabi to Alexandria in Egypt on Tuesday. It will also fly to the Egyptian city Sohag on the Nile River tomorrow, the state-run Emirates News Agency reported.
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways and the budget carrier based in Sharjah Air Arabia. The airline received permission to fly from the Emirati government in April. Both Etihad and Air Arabia continue to operate independently as well.
Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE are major international transit hubs, offering connecting flights around the world. Airlines in the country have experienced major losses during the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent decrease in international travel. Etihad Airways announced it was cutting hundreds of jobs in May. Emirati authorities grounded most passenger flights in March amid the pandemic but allowed air travel to resume in May.
