Passengers can save Dh200 on first RAK-Abu Dhabi flight

RAK Airways – which is set to become the first airline to launch domestic flight in the UAE from next month – is highly optimistic about the potential for the local aviation market with plans in place to quickly increase frequencies few months after the launch.

John Brayford, chief executive officer of RAK Airways, said the airline – using A320 – will start with four flights per week and raise frequency to daily from December 2012 and double daily flights from March 2013.

The airline announced on Monday that plan to start domestic flight from Ras Al Khaimah to Abu Dhabi from October 3, 2012 are in place with return fare of Dh410 – which is approximately Dh200 less than the taxi fare.

The competition in the local aviation market is poised to become hotter next month when another airline -  Rotana Jet – will take off to compete with RAK Airways. Rotana Jet  will initially fly from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. Rotana had earlier indicated one-way fare of Dh200 to the emirates.

Under its international expansion plan, the carrier will start daily flights to Calicut, India, with the addition of third aircraft in April next year and will also fly to Dammam, Saudi Arabia, later with fourth aircraft. The fouth aircraft will be added in the fleet in November 2013.

“The addition of two new jets will offer better connections on the network, improved timings and frequency on other routes and further network expansion” said Brayford.

The carrier is hoping to add Germany and US to its network shortly.

The airline serves nine destinations with two aircraft at the moment. It will add Abu Dhabi as a 10th destination and then five new international sectors.

RAK Airways earlier this month signed a distribution deal with Travelport. Under the deal, Galileo and Worldspan-connected users worldwide will gain access to all of RAK Airways fares and inventory with immediate effect.

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