- UAE’s low-cost carrier Air Arabia will be the first airline to resume scheduled commercial services from emerging hub
- Strict passenger protocol is being imposed at the airport to ensure alignment with national efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19
Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, October 13, 2020: Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (RAK Airport) has announced that Air Arabia will be resuming a full schedule of passenger flights commencing from Thursday, October 15, 2020. A major entry and exit point to the UAE and an emerging hub, the airport is slowly returning to its original capacity and resuming operations following a period of restricted services that was necessary to curtail non-essential travel in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak.
With commercial activities at RAK Airport reverting to pre-pandemic levels, passengers flying in and out of the facility will be required to follow protocol that it is in alignment with national efforts to control Covid-19 and prevent the spread of the virus. The airport is continuing to apply extensive measures to protect the community in accordance with various authorities’ directives as the country enters the ‘new normal’ phase.
Included in the mandatory requirements for passengers entering and leaving the UAE through RAK Airport are possessing adequate health insurance, obtaining a Covid-19 test result no longer than four days before travel, and completing a health disclosure form. Arriving passengers are also required to download the ‘Al-Hosn’ app, undertake a Covid-19 test upon arrival at airport, and self-quarantine at their destination hotel or residence until the results of the test are known. If found to be positive for coronavirus, visitors and returning residents are obliged to isolate according to Ministry of Health and Prevention guidelines.
RAK Airport is a hub for the UAE airline Air Arabia, which is headquartered at Sharjah International Airport – another UAE aviation facility that resumed passenger flights this October. The first low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa, Air Arabia, will recommence schedule services out of RAK Airport with other carriers to follow.
Sanjay Khanna, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, said: “Thanks to the unwavering support of His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, RAK Airport is scaling up its operations to return to its pre-pandemic level of activity. This will enable us to continue serving the community and to support Ras Al Khaimah’s vital tourist, business and logistics sectors, as well as contribute to the UAE’s overall economy and its socioeconomic development.”
He added: “The protocol that is being put in place for passengers flying from and into our airport are in alignment with national efforts to mitigate against the spread of the novel coronavirus. We have ensured that all procedures are able to be conducted swiftly, efficiently and transparently and do not represent a significant inconvenience for passengers. With Air Arabia recommencing its commercial schedule at our airport, I want to thank sincerely Air Arabia Team for the tireless efforts to get things up and running again so quickly and efficiently.”
Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, commented: “We are glad to see the gradual resumption of operations from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. We thank RAK airport for the work done and for applying extensive measures to safeguard travelers during this time. We look forward to start serving our customer base in Ras Al Khaimah with Air Arabia’s value air travel while expanding our operations as more markets open”.
RAK Airport is anticipating an expansion to its operations following a resumption of its passenger flights, with its leading role in the UAE’s repatriation efforts having considerably raised its profile as a convenient hub linking the UAE to cities around the world. The facility offers a number of advantages, such as competitive flight prices, easy accessibility from vast areas of the UAE and the fact that it has no slot restrictions, resulting in no delays and smoother operations.
About Ras Al Khaimah International Airport:
Established in March 1976 under the government of Ras Al Khaimah, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (RKT) is the gateway between Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) and the world. Operating passenger and cargo services from an array of carriers, RKT connects the United Arab Emirates through regular flights to destinations that include Cairo, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Calicut, Katowice, Poznan, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Luxembourg, Prague, Istanbul, and Moscow. With its progressive addition of ever more destinations to its current schedule, RKT is a major asset in Ras Al Khaimah’s stated goal of opening up the emirate to a greater number of international visitors.