14 September 2011

Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and North Africa, announced today that it will shortly introduce direct service to two new destinations in Ukraine, expanding its presence to three major cities in that country, including Kiev, Kharkiv and Donestsk; and 67 across its global network.

Beginning October 7th and 12th, Air Arabia will offer regular service to Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, and Donestsk, a major urban centre in eastern Ukraine with a population of 1.5 million. The launch of service to these two Ukranian cities will complement Air Arabia’s existing flights to Kiev, which the carrier serves five times a week.

Service to Donestsk will be twice weekly, including flights on Tuesdays and Fridays. Air Arabia flights will depart from Sharjah International Airport at 12:20PM and arrive at Donestsk International Airport at 15:40PM. Return flights will depart from Donestsk on the same days at 16:40PM and arrive in Sharjah at 21:50PM.
Air Arabia will offer service to Kharkiv every Wednesday, departing from Sharjah International Airport at 10:00AM and arriving at Kharkiv International Airport at 14:10PM. Return flights will depart from Kharkiv on the same day at 15:10PM and arrive in Sharjah at 21:00PM.

“We are especially pleased to introduce two new destinations in Ukraine, a nation with strong economic and cultural ties with the UAE and wider Gulf region,” said Adel Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia. “All of us at Air Arabia look forward eagerly to the imminent launch of service to both Donestsk and Kharkiv”

“Eight years and over 20 million passengers since Air Arabia pioneered the low-cost airline model in the Middle East and North Africa, we continue to set our sights on entering new markets and further expanding the reach of our award-winning service,” Ali added. “Today’s announcement underscores our commitment and ability to offer even more destinations, at the most competitive fares, and meet the evolving needs of our passengers.”

By offering 8 flights per week between Air Arabia’s primary hub in Sharjah, UAE, and three destinations Ukraine, Air Arabia has underlined its commitment to offering unmatched service to this nation of more than 46 million population.