Jazeera opens Dubai base
Kuwait-based budget carrier Jazeera Airways is setting up a base at Dubai with seven routes to be launched by the end of March. It already operates 14 routes from Kuwait and says it aims to establish "multiple hubs in the Arabian peninsula". Jazeera claims it will be the only low-cost carrier operating from Dubai. The region's only other existing budget airline, Air Arabia, operates from nearby Sharjah.
Air Arabia plans IPO
Air Arabia plans to launch an initial public offering (IPO) upon approval from the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy. Air Arabia claims it will be the first airline in the Gulf region to go public and hopes to secure approval for the IPO by the end of March. The fast-growing budget carrier will soon be operating 34 routes from its Sharjah hub, following the forthcoming launch of services to Ahmedabad in India and Karachi and Peshawar in Pakistan.
NAS Air launches
Saudi Arabia's NAS Air is poised to become the third budget carrier in the Middle East at the end of February when it launches services between Riyadh and Jeddah. Established by corporate jet operator National Air Services, NAS Air will start with two Airbus A320s at Riyadh and aims to also open domestic routes to Jizan, Madinah and Rafhah.
Emirates picks Houston
Emirates has selected Houston as its second US destination after New York. The UAE flag carrier will launch thrice-weekly flights in December from its Dubai base to Houston using newly delivered Boeing 777-200LR ultra-long-range aircraft. It plans to upgrade the service to daily next February.
Yemenia begins e-transition
Yemenia in December issued its first e-ticket. Despite the late start, vice-chairman Amin Alhaimy says the carrier "is now increasing the e-ticket issuance process over phases" and "we should be at the right spot before the IATA deadline" of 31 December 2007. As part of an upgrade of its IT systems, Alhaimy says Yemenia has contracted Kale for revenue integration software and Oracle for enterprise resource planning software.
Source: Airline Business
