Sharjah, Air Arabia, announced today it took delivery of its first A320 aircraft in 2012, bringing the airline's total fleet to 30 aircraft. Air Arabia received nine of the 44 A320 aircraft ordered from Airbus in 2007.The delivery took  place at the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France and immediately entered commercial flight service.

Six more A320s are scheduled for delivery  in 2012. Upon the scheduled delivery in 2016 of all 44 ordered A230 aircraft, Air Arabia will have a total operating fleet of over 50 aircraft.

“We are pleased to receive our ninth aircraft on-time and as per the fleet plan schedule we have set back in 2007” said Adel Ali, Group CEO of Air Arabia. “In just eight years, Air Arabia has grown to become a leading regional airline with a fleet of 30 aircraft and a strong network of destinations. We look forward to the delivery of five more aircraft this year as we continue to unlock opportunities for the low-cost model in the MENA region and beyond.”

Air Arabia served 4.7 million passengers in 2011, representing a six per cent year-on-year increase. The carrier’s seat load factor – or passengers carried as a percentage of available seats – stood at an average of 82 per cent for the year 2011.

Source: Air Arabia