Ras Al Khaimah to welcome Air India Express

Low cost carrier Air India Express is to begin flying to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, reports Arabian Business. 

Ras Al Khaimah International Airport officials have said the Air India Express will start flights to the northern emirate later this month.

Officials added that the development comes following Qatar Airways launch of a service between Ras Al Khaimah and Doha last week.

"The growing number of Indian expatriates in the Northern Emirates has had to cope with limited options from air carriers over the past few years as demand has risen. The new route will help to alleviate those issues," a company statement said.

Starting on March 28, Air India Express will begin operations with four flights per week to Kozhikode (Calicut), and is looking to expand to a daily service in near future.

RAK Airport and Department of Civil Aviation chairman Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi said: "I am delighted to welcome Air India Express to Ras Al Khaimah. There was much need for this connectivity, but we also believe that this route may require more than a daily frequency to satisfy the growing demand.

"We would therefore urge the authorities to consider the needs of the passengers and increase seat allocations for high demand sectors."

Ras Al Khaimah International's CEO Mohammed Qazi added: "India has strong ties with Ras Al Khaimah for the business and leisure markets, going both ways. We are confident that the route will be a great success, as the market already exists and is growing."

The emirate has become a popular base for Indian business with over 6,000 based in its free zones.