Sharjah-based Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC), has signed a lease agreement for six Airbus A321neo long range aircraft with the Los Angeles-based Air Lease Corporation at the Dubai Airshow.
The planes will join Air Arabia’s fleet from 2019 and "will help the airline better serve its existing network as well as enter longer range routes in the near future", the carrier said on Monday.
Founded in 2003, Air Arabia currently operates a fleet of 50 Airbus A320 aircraft, serving over 133 routes from five hubs; in the UAE (Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah), Morocco, Egypt and Jordan.
“We continue to witness growth in passenger traffic across our hubs and remain focused on our business model and mission to provide affordable fare and value for money to passengers," said Adel Al Ali, the group chief executive of Air Arabia.
The A321neo LR is the longest-range single aisle airliner on the market and Air Arabia’s A321neo LR jets will each have a capacity of 215 seats.
“We operate our business on a global basis, providing aircraft to airline customers in every major geographical region; and as the fastest-growing aviation market in the world, the Middle East region remains one of our key markets," said Alex Khatibi, the executive vice president of Air Lease Corporation. "Our relationship with Air Arabia dates back to the formation of the airline and we are pleased to sign this lease agreement ... supporting their ambitious growth plans."
John Leahy, the chief operating officer for customers at Airbus Commercial Aircraft, added: “With its unique customised interior and passenger comfort, the aircraft will enable Air Arabia to continue to innovate and lead the low-cost air travel market in the Mena region."
Also at the Dubai Airshow, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise's (DAE) leasing division DAE Capital and Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier, signed a lease agreement for five Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
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The jets are scheduled to enter the carrier's fleet in 2018 to help Gulf Air expand its network.
"We are pleased to be in a position to support Gulf Air's fleet strategy as they look to develop their route offering," said Firoz Tarapore, the chief executive of DAE, one of the top 10 biggest aircraft leasing firms in the world, which has an owned, managed and committed fleet of nearly 400 Airbus, ATR and Boeing planes with a fleet value of US$14 billion.
"Leasing these state of the art new technology aircraft underlines Dubai Aerospace Enterprise's ability to work across the asset spectrum and help customers with varying fleet requirements. We look forward to supporting one of the Gulf Air as it continues to grow," Mr Tarapore added.
The Gulf Air deputy chief executive, Captain Waleed Abdulhameed Al Alawi, said: "The incoming aircraft represent an important step in our strategic direction towards furthering Gulf Air's fleet modernisation process ... as we look to strengthen our presence across the globe."
Duminy's Test career in numbers
Tests 46; Runs 2,103; Best 166; Average 32.85; 100s 6; 50s 8; Wickets 42; Best 4-47
Teams in the EHL
White Bears, Al Ain Theebs, Dubai Mighty Camels, Abu Dhabi Storms, Abu Dhabi Scorpions and Vipers
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Shooting Ghosts: A U.S. Marine, a Combat Photographer, and Their Journey Back from War by Thomas J. Brennan and Finbarr O’Reilly
AGUERO'S PREMIER LEAGUE RECORD
Apps: 186
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Assists: 31
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Losses: 33
Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
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Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
Day 3, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Just three balls remained in an exhausting day for Sri Lanka’s bowlers when they were afforded some belated cheer. Nuwan Pradeep, unrewarded in 15 overs to that point, let slip a seemingly innocuous delivery down the legside. Babar Azam feathered it behind, and Niroshan Dickwella dived to make a fine catch.
Stat of the day - 2.56 Shan Masood and Sami Aslam are the 16th opening partnership Pakistan have had in Tests in the past five years. That turnover at the top of the order – a new pair every 2.56 Test matches on average – is by far the fastest rate among the leading Test sides. Masood and Aslam put on 114 in their first alliance in Abu Dhabi.
The verdict Even by the normal standards of Test cricket in the UAE, this has been slow going. Pakistan’s run-rate of 2.38 per over is the lowest they have managed in a Test match in this country. With just 14 wickets having fallen in three days so far, it is difficult to see 26 dropping to bring about a result over the next two.
RESULTS: 2018 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPE
Albania 0 Italy 1
Finland 2 Turkey 2
Macedonia 4 Liechtenstein
Iceland 2 Kosovo 0
Israel 0 Spain 1
Moldova 0 Austria 1
Serbia 1 Georgia 0
Ukraine 0 Croatia 2
Wales 0 Ireland 1
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