11 October 2011

Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and North Africa, announced today that it will introduce direct service to Moscow and Yekaterinburg in Russia, beginning October 14 and 29 respectively. The two new Air Arabia destinations are the first in Russia. Moscow and Yekaterinburg will become the carrier’s fifth and sixth destination in CIS and Russian Federation and its 69th worldwide.

Air Arabia will offer service to Moscow on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sunday, departing from Sharjah International Airport at 09:00AM and arriving at Moscow Domodedova Airport at 14:00PM. Return flights will depart from Moscow on the same days at 15:00PM and arrive in Sharjah at 20:00PM.

The carrier will offer service to Yekaterinburg on Wednesday and Saturday departing from Sharjah International Airport at 10:05AM and arriving at Yekaterinburg Airport at 16:50PM. Return flights will depart from Yekaterinburg on the same days at 17:50PM and arrive in Sharjah at 20:50PM.

“We are extremely pleased to announce the upcoming launch of service to Moscow and Yekaterinburg, which represents a significant milestone in the history of Air Arabia,” said Adel Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia. “Indeed, it seems entirely appropriate that we will introduce service to one of the world’s great cities in October, at a time when we will be celebrating the eighth anniversary of launch of Air Arabia itself.” 

Highlighting, in particular, the strong business ties between Russia and the UAE, Ali added that the carrier anticipated strong demand for service to the country. “Based on the high level of business and tourism traffic between the two countries, we are confident that our new service to Moscow and Yekaterinburg will further offer our customers a great value for money option to benefit from.” 

Moscow, with a population in excess of 10.5 million, is the most populous city in Russia, the largest nation on earth, and is the country’s economic and political centre. The UAE is home to an increasingly significant Russian expatriate community, and is also one of the preferred holiday destinations for residents of the country.