Air Arabia, a Sharjah-based low-cost carrier, has announced that its inaugural flight has landed in Urumqi, China, marking the carrier’s 101st global destination.

The airline flies thrice-weekly to Urumqi from its main hub in Sharjah, UAE.

Located in the Xinjiang district of China, Urumqi is a modern industrial city in a region with a population of over 20 million people and is considered the region’s major transportation hub. It has been described as the gateway to the vast region of Xinjiang, which offers some of the best bazaars, hiking, outdoor sports and natural beauty in the country, as well as being the location of large oil and natural gas reserves. The city is economically developed and now serves as a regional transport node, cultural, and commercial centre

Adel A Ali, Group chief executive officer, Air Arabia, said: “We recognise Urumqi as an appealing destination favourable to both tourists and business men internationally and are happy to begin regular services to one of the world’s great economies. Urumqi represents an exciting first Chinese destination for us and we hope to add more routes over time. This is a major move for Air Arabia and an important step in strengthening connectivity between the rapidly growing economies of the Middle East and Eastern Asia.” 

Air Arabia has seen its flight network expand with the addition of new routes, such as Cairo in Egypt and Antalya in Turkey, from its main base at Sharjah International Airport. The carrier currently operates from five main hubs, including the UAE (Sharjah & Ras al-Khaimah), Morocco, Egypt and the most recent addition in Amman, Jordan. – TradeArabia News Service