UAE's Air Arabia to launch Baghdad service

Arabian Business staff writer, February 13th, 2013

UAE carrier Air Arabia will launch flights between Sharjah and Baghdad from March 10, the low-cost airline announced on Tuesday.

Three weekly services will operate between Sharjah and the Iraqi capital. That will be increased to five per week later in the year.

Inaugural flight G90361 will take off from Sharjah International Airport on March 10 at 14:40 and arrive at Baghdad International Airport at 16:10 local time, the airline said.

Return flights will operate on the same days, departing Baghdad at 16:50 and arriving in Sharjah at 20:05.

Baghdad is Air Arabia’s fourth destination in Iraq, after Basra, Erbil and Najaf, and its 83rd globally.

The airline will now operate 23 weekly services to Iraq.

Air Arabia Group CEO Adel Ali said Iraq was an important market for the airline, with a population of 7.3m.

“Three months since we launched our last destination in Iraq, we are delighted to spread our wings further into the country, with the launch of services to the capital city,” Ali said.