Air Arabia launches fifth hub ... in Amman

The Sharjah low cost carrier announced today that is has bought a 49 percent stake in Jordan's Petra Airlines.
Petra Airlines will be rebranded as Air Arabia Jordan and operate from a hub at Amman's Queen Alia International Airport. The airline said operations will being in the first quarter.
Amman will become Air Arabia’s fifth fixed-based operation after Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Casablanca and Alexandria. It will follow the successful business model. Air Arabia Jordan will provide direct service to a range of destinations across the Europe, Middle East and North Africa region from Queen Alia International Airport.
“Partnering with an established airline like Petra Airlines provides this agreement with an advantageous position in terms of operational and commercial support, which will enable Air Arabia Jordan to reach its full potential in a shorter time span. We thank the local authorities and the Jordanian Ministry of Transport for granting all the support to launch this new project.” said Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammad Al Thani, chairman of Air Arabia. “The establishment of a new hub in Jordan extends Air Arabia’s operational footprint into the heart of the Levant and brings us a step closer to achieving our stated goal of connecting the entire Arab world. This step will also provide the Jordanian economy with a reagent for growth through direct contributions to the local economy”.
Riad Khashman, Chairman of RUM Group which maintains a 51% ownership of Petra Airlines, said: “Our partnership with Air Arabia represents an important next phase in the progression of Petra Airlines and will be the catalyst for a new era of growth for the low cost aviation sector in Jordan and the wider Levant region. Alongside offering greatly increased flexibility for passengers, Air Arabia Jordan will also be an important contributor to the local economy through the creation of skilled jobs and by increasing the number of leisure and business travellers visiting Jordan. We look forward to launching Air Arabia Jordan operations in the coming months.”
Two Airbus A320 aircraft will initially be based at Amman Queen Alia International Airport and the fleet will grow as the business demands. Launch routes will be announced in the coming weeks.
 

Pictured: Air Arabia and Petra Airlines executives at today's press conference