United Arab Emirates (UAE) carrier Air Arabia has signed a strategic partnership with the Ras Al Khaimah Department of Civil Aviation to become the Emirate’s designated carrier for passenger services from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. This move follows the recent collapse of RAK Airways and will see the low-cost carrier develop a new base to complement its existing activities in Sharjah.

The launch of this partnership is expected to support Ras Al Khaimah’s standing as an attractive tourist destination, while acting as a key catalyst for the further economic development of the Emirate. It will also ensure direct air connectivity is quickly restored following the collapse of RAK Airways late last year and will certainly lead to a significant increase in the number of destinations accessible to residents of Ras Al Khaimah and neighboring Northern Emirates.

Describing the partnership as a “unique collaboration,” His Excellency Engr. Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, chairman, Ras Al Khaimah Department of Civil Aviation said the agreement is “a natural step in the next stage of Ras Al Khaimah’s aviation development,” driven by the Emirate’s steady economy, expanding population, growing industrial activity, and tourism.

“We are delighted to be entering into a strategic agreement with an extremely successful airline and are confident about the benefits this partnership will bring to the Emirate. As Ras Al Khaimah continues to position itself as an attractive tourist destination, we are confident that this partnership will help us achieve our long-term goals, benefiting from Air Arabia’s operational track record, impressive network and management expertise,” he added.

Established in October 2003, Air Arabia, listed on the Dubai Financial Market, currently operates services to 90 destinations covering the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and the Indian Subcontinent from three operating hubs in Sharjah, UAE; Alexandria, Egypt; and Casablanca, Morocco.

“The major collaboration is a true reflection of the strength of the UAE aviation infrastructure and potential growth. Furthermore, we are extremely confident that the launch of Air Arabia’s operations in Ras Al Khaimah Airport will further transform the travel and tourism sectors in the Emirate as well as provide customers with great accessibility and value for money air travel,” said Adel Ali, group chief executive officer, Air Arabia. “The Emirate’s tourism sector is witnessing a strong and steady growth and we are optimistic that this will continue to grow in the years to come.”

The closure of RAK Airways in December 2013 had been a massive blow to the Emirate as it was Ras Al Khaimah International Airport’ sonly resident carrier. Its network had mainly served destinations across the Indian sub-continent supporting the strong migrant worker flows between the UAE and India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. In the table below we highlight the largest O&D markets from/to Ras Al Khaimah in 2013, which provides some detail to traffic flows to the markets previously served by RAK Airways.