Air Arabia, the UAE-based budget airline, has reported a decline in its first-quarter profits due to disruptions caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict. Despite experiencing a approximately 20% drop in pre-tax and net profits, the airline’s revenues increased slightly to Dhs1.8 billion ($490 million), even with an 11% reduction in passenger numbers.
The conflict, which began at the end of February, affected the airline's operations, leading to re-routing of services and changes to flight schedules to accommodate airspace restrictions. Nevertheless, the airline managed a net surplus of Dhs278 million for the quarter, demonstrating resilience and operational adaptability.
Air Arabia’s fleet consists of 90 Airbus A320 family jets, with 68 based in the UAE—primarily in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Ras Al Khaimah—and the remaining 22 in Morocco, Pakistan, and Egypt. The airline’s leadership remains optimistic about future recovery, citing confidence in regional economic stability and the effectiveness of its multi-hub growth strategy, despite ongoing regional uncertainties.
Chairman Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammad Al Thani stated that, "Despite these challenges, we remain confident in the strength of the local and regional economies we serve and will continue to navigate this environment with discipline and agility." The company emphasizes that it has not observed safety or operational issues attributable to the conflict, and it continues to pursue growth initiatives aimed at post-crisis recovery.
