Middle East Aviation Industry Moving from Luxury to Low Cost

Since the introduction of Air Arabia seven years ago, economical airlines are taking flight in the Persian Gulf.

When the first flight of the newly established Air Arabia took off, in October 2003, from its home base in Sharjah, one of the seven Emirates making up the United Arab Emirates, not many predicted it would lead to the emergence of a novel and budding phenomenon in the Middle Eastern aviation industry.

Up until the establishment of Air Arabia, which today flies to over 70 destinations and operates secondary hubs in Morocco and as of June 2010 in Egypt as well, Middle Eastern airlines, especially those from the Gulf region, had been almost synonymous with luxury and elegance. But over the last few years, a new type of airline has taken off in the region, the low cost carrier.