RAK Airways Adds Flights to Kathmandu and Bangkok

United Arab Emirates (UAE) carrier RAK Airways is to further expand its activities in 2012 after significantly expanding its network last year. The airline, the national carrier for the UAE Emirate of Ras Al Khamiah, will launch a three times weekly service to Kathmandu from February 15, 2012 and a four times weekly link to Bangkok from June 1, 2012; its 11th and 12th destinations.

This latest growth marks an extension of the airline’s route development policy. Up until now it has focused its route network activity on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Indian sub-continent and North Africa, but it is now expanding into the Asian market, with further expansion likely in the future.

An estimated 346,000 O&D passengers travelled between UAE and Nepal last year, a route that has grown by a notable 19.7 per cent in the past 12 months following capacity growth between the two countries. The market is currently dominated by low-cost operators with Air Arabia and flydubai offering double daily links to the Himalayan Kingdom from Sharjah and Dubai, respectively. Etihad Airways also offers a regular weekly service to Kathmandu from Abu Dhabi using widebodied A330-200 equipment.

“Kathmandu is a destination that appeals to both leisure and business travellers. The stunning natural scenery and opportunities for trekking and climbing have developed Nepal into a thriving tourism destination,” said Omar Jahameh, Chief Executive Officer, RAK Airways. “The tourism industry is a key area of focus for the Nepalese government; last year's dedicated tourism campaign increased visitor numbers by approximately 20 per cent.”

An estimated 474,000 O&D passengers travelled between UAE and Thailand last year, a route that has grown by 10.0 per cent in the past 12 months, with O&D traffic to Bangkok increasing by 9.5 per cent to 451,000 passengers. This market is dominated by Emirates Airline which provides four flights per day from Dubai, one of which is operated using the Airbus A380. Thai Airways International also provides a daily offering from Dubai while Etihad Airways operates a double daily from Abu Dhabi.