Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa's largest low-cost carrier operator, has grown its Bangladeshi market over 17 years through a successful business model.
This model largely enabled Bangladeshi migrant workers to travel between home and workplace at affordable prices, according to Group Air Arabia CEO Adel Abdulla Al Ali.
He said this while addressing journalists at a Dhaka hotel on Thursday. The event marked the airline's 20th anniversary, which began with its first flight from Sharjah to Bahrain in October 2003.
Regional General Manager Rajesh Narula and Mohammad Abdur Rahim, CEO of Air Arabia's GSA, MGH, were also present.
"We always start from secondary airports," CEO Adel Abdulla Al Ali said. "We started with 200,000 passengers and now have 15 million."
He added that the airline began operations in Chattogram in 2007, following its business model of starting at secondary airports. That considered Bangladesh the airline's one of the key destinations.
"Bangladesh is a good, growing market, successful in organised growth," he told journalists, noting they now operate flights from Chattogram and Dhaka.
However, he expressed regret that the airline's expansion plans, including making Bangladesh a hub, were on hold.
The CEO praised the country's "fantastic" economic growth and said increased travel is closely linked to it.
Headquartered in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, Air Arabia has transformed air travel by making it affordable for all segments of society.
The CEO said the airline operates a fleet of 73 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, with 120 more Airbus aircraft on order for delivery from 2025.
smunima@yahoo.com