RAK Airways To Add Three More Routes

United Arab Emirates-based carrier RAK Airways has revealed plans to expand its international network by a further three destinations over the course of the next two months. This is in addition to the four new destinations that the carrier has already announced - Khartoum, Kuwait City, Lahore and Peshawar.

The airline is planning to introduce one route in December, subject to Government approval, and two others in January 2012, but currently does not want these publicised while it works to finalise arrangements. It is also in discussions to lease an additional Airbus A320 to facilitate this expansion.

"We are really trying to put RAK Airways on the map," John Brayford, Vice President Commercial, RAK Airways, told The HUB during this week's World Travel Market (WTM) in London, where the carrier was exhibiting alongside other tourism business from Ras Al Khaimah. "We have seen strong growth over the past year and alongside the new routes for winter 201/2012 we have also increased frequencies on existing routes."

One such route is Doha, the capital of Qatar, and it is where the airline will debut its newest aircraft. RAK Airways currently operates a fleet of Airbus A320s, but after recently returning one example back to its owner Air Moldova it has subsequently sourced a single Embraer 190 from the same source. This jet was delivered on an ACMI lease this week and will be used on the Ras Al Khaimah - Doha route.

"The E190 is the right-sized aircraft for many of of our planned routes and this aircraft will certainly enable us to look at serving more destinations in the wider Gulf Cooperation Council States," added John Brayford.