Arabic News
Spice Jet, an Indian private airline company will launch services to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport on Thursday, November 26. The airline will initially operate twice-weekly flights from the northern emirate to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, with plans to extend to additional destinations within India in the future. Return flights start from Dh730 and include free road transportation from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
“The commencement of Spice Jet passenger flights into RAK Airport is a significant step forward in helping the UAE get back to a normal footing in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic,” says Sanjay Khanna, chief executive of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport.
“The Indian expatriate community in the UAE numbers almost 3.5 million people and constitutes 27 per cent of the population, making connectivity between our two countries an imperative. With the UAE and India being each other’s largest trading partners, RAK Airport has an essential role to play in the business and economy of the emirate, especially in view of Ras Al Khaimah’s efforts to diversify its economy from heavy industry to one that is knowledge-based and underpinned by human capital and tourism”, Mr Khanna added.
Flight SG160 will be operated on a Boeing 737-800, which has a capacity of 189 passengers. It will depart from Indira Gandhi International Airport at 22.30 on Thursdays and Sundays, landing at Ras Al Khaimah International Airport at 00.50 on Fridays and Monday. The return flight, SG 161, departs RAK Airport at 01.50 on Monday and Friday, landing in Delhi at 06.40.
The airline has already operated about 300 flights from Ras Al Khaimah, having partnered with the Indian government to offer repatriation flights in the early days of the pandemic. It has returned almost 53,000 Indian nationals to their home country from the beginning of June.
“Spice Jet has played a pivotal role in opening up the UAE to Indian travellers and reconnecting families. As we enter the post-coronavirus phase, we are looking forward to continuing to play a vital role in Ras Al Khaimah’s ongoing growth and development, especially its tourist sector, which is anticipated to experience a surge in visitors now that travel restrictions are slowly being eased,” says Ajay Singh, chairman and managing director of Spice Jet.
