Air Arabia Abu Dhabi's maiden flight takes to the skies

The flight to Alexandria marks the beginning of service for the capital’s first low-cost airline

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi has started flying. The low-cost airline's maiden flight departed the UAE for Egypt on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Courtesy Air Arabia Abu Dhabi

The first Air Arabia Abu Dhabi flight has taken off from the UAE.

Flight 3L 401 departed Abu Dhabi International Airport at 3pm today and is headed for Egypt.

Passengers on the Airbus A320 are the first to be flown by Abu Dhabi's newest airline, which is the first low-cost airline in the capital. The inaugural flight is expected to land in Alexandria just before 5pm.

Tomorrow, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi will operate its second flight from the UAE, again to Egypt but this time flying to Sohag, on the west bank of the Nile. This flight departs the UAE at 2.20pm and lands in Egypt at 4pm.

“We are proud to launch Air Arabia Abu Dhabi operations today with the first flight to Alexandria. This joint venture between Etihad and Air Arabia will offer the nation’s citizens and residents a great new option for air travel from the UAE’s vibrant capital city," said Tony Douglas, chief executive at Etihad Aviation Group.

The UAE's fifth national airline will continue to fly three times per week to Alexandria and weekly to Sohag.

Passengers flying with Air Arabia Abu Dhabi must wear face masks and follow social distanced boarding procedures.

The airline plans to build its network as more countries ease travel restrictions.

"We look forward to expanding our code-share partnership to provide more connections to and from Etihad’s global network on to Air Arabia Abu Dhabi’s growing list of destinations,” added Douglas.

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi is the first low-cost airline in the capital and, as such, an important aviation addition for the city.

"We are pleased to witness Air Arabia Abu Dhabi’s first flight and commencement of operations as the UAE capital’s first low-cost carrier. Abu Dhabi International Airport, with its innovative health and safety technology, is well positioned to cater to the emirate’s growing aviation and tourism industries including the increasingly popular low-cost air travel sector," said Shareef Hashim Al Hashmi, chief executive of Abu Dhabi Airports.

A second low-cost airline based out of the capital will launch in October. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi announced this week that it will begin operations in October with flights to Egypt and five cities in Europe.