Middle East budget airline Air Arabia and Sudanese conglomerate Dal Group have partnered to launch a new low-cost airline based at Khartoum International Airport.
Air Arabia Sudan will be a joint venture between the two companies, they said in a joint statement on Thursday, without providing details on the ownership structure.
"We are confident that Air Arabia Sudan will add significant value to the air transport sector of Sudan and directly contribute to the growth of the local economy and the development of the travel and tourism sector," said Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohamed Al Thani, chairman of Air Arabia.
The move is the latest in a series of JV agreements by Air Arabia to launch new budget airlines.
UAE-listed Air Arabia signed JV deals to establish new airlines in Abu Dhabi in 2020, and in Armenia and Pakistan in 2021.
Air Arabia Sudan will operate a fleet of new Airbus A320 aircraft. the statement said.
The Khartoum-based start-up will adopt the low-cost business model operated by Air Arabia on its existing network, it said.
Work on obtaining the relevant approvals and licences is scheduled to start shortly, while details on the route network, fleet size and scheduled services will be communicated in due course, the companies said.
In addition to its flag carrier, Sudan Airways, the north African country is home to the privately-owned Badr Airlines.
Yerevan-based Fly Arna, a tie-up between Air Arabia and the Armenian National Interests Fund, received its air operator certificate (AOC) in June 2022. In July, the carrier launched direct flights connecting the Armenian capital to Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt.
Fly Jinnah, Air Arabia's joint venture with Pakistani conglomerate Lakson Group, is expected to receive its AOC "soon", Adel Ali, Air Arabia group chief executive, said in July.
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, the low-cost JV with Etihad Airways, recently marked its second anniversary after its launch at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic on July 14, 2020.
Air Arabia operates a network of bases in Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Abu Dhabi, Egypt and Morocco. The airline has been pushing ahead with expansion since the pandemic after betting on a recovery in short-haul travel demand.
Air Arabia posted a surge in second-quarter profit as the number of passengers carried nearly tripled during a rebound in air travel demand.
Net profit for the three months ended June 30 jumped to Dh160 million ($43.57m) from Dh10m in the same quarter last year. The airline's revenue for the period more than doubled to Dh1.11 billion, from Dh496m in the second quarter of 2021.
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
More on Quran memorisation:
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
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
MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
