Air Arabia, a low-cost middle eastern carrier (LCC), and a conglomerate from Sudan, Dal Group have come together to launch a new low-cost airline. The airline will be based at Khartoum International Airport and will be called Air Arabia Sudan. This move comes in a series of joint venture (JV) agreements signed by Air Arabia to launch new budget airlines.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohamed Al Thani, chairman of Air Arabia, said: "We are confident that Air Arabia Sudan will add significant value to the air transport sector of Sudan and directly contribute to the growth of the local economy and the development of the travel and tourism sector."
Air Arabia Sudan will operate a fleet of new Airbus A320 and adopt Air Arabia’s signature low-cost model, the airline said.
Osama Daoud Abdellatif, DAL Group’s chairman, said: “Given Sudan’s rich national cultures, rarely publicised yet fascinating ancient history, and breathtaking topography, our nation enjoys a unique untapped potential, and we are therefore steadfastly committed to developing the diverse aspects of Sudan’s tourism, travel, cargo transport, and aviation infrastructure sectors. It gives me immense pleasure to join hands with Air Arabia Group in this new venture, and we look forward to the launch of Air Arabia Sudan.”
The ticket pricing of the airline will be best-in-class and accessible to all income groups, Air Arabia said in a statement.
Although the management has not revealed any details on the ownership, work is underway to get the relevant approvals and licenses, the airline further added.
Air Arabia posted a profit in the second quarter as the number of passengers it carried nearly tripled during a rebound in air travel demand. Since then, Air Arabia is planning robust expansion on short-haul routes to cash in on the pandemic air travel demand.