UAE’s Air Arabia to open 5th hub in Jordan

06 Jan 2015

(MENAFN) Air Arabia announced that it will open a new international hub at Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan, which will become its fifth fixed-based operation globally, following its acquisition of a 49 percent stake in Petra Airlines, Arab News reported.

The deal to acquire the stake, which was signed with principle shareholder of Petra Airlines ‘RUM Group’, Jordan’s leading travel and transport group, will result in the group maintaining a 51 percent stake in Petra Airlines, which will be renamed ‘Air Arabia Jordan’.

The operations of the newly named ‘Air Arabia Jordan’ are expected to commence in the first quarter of 2015, with the new carrier being managed by Air Arabia, and will follow its business model, providing direct service to a range of destinations across the Europe, Middle East and North Africa region from Queen Alia International Airport.

“The establishment of a new hub in Jordan extends Air Arabia’s operational footprint into the heart of the Levant and brings us a step closer to achieving our stated goal of connecting the entire Arab world. This step will also provide the Jordanian economy with a reagent for growth through direct contributions to the local economy”, Chairman of Air Arabia said.