Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa, has been named “Low-Cost Carrier of the Year” at the inaugural Aviation Business Awards 2007 in Dubai.

Adel Ali, the carrier’s CEO, was named “Airline CEO of the Year” at the same event.

The award for “Low-Cost Carrier of the Year” (LCC) is given to the LCC that has demonstrated world-class service across the region over the past 12 months. The award for “Airline CEO for the Year” is given to the CEO who has “made a real difference in managing the company’s business operations whether by [his] management skills, innovative vision or simply by applying the extra effort needed to get the job done.”

“These awards come in recognition of the immensely positive impact Air Arabia has had on air travel in the Middle East,” said Adel Ali. “This award comes in recognition of our operational excellence, outstanding service and competitively priced fares. We are very pleased to have won this award, which I would like to share with all the employees of Air Arabia who are dedicated to making the carrier an ongoing regional success story,” he added.

The award for “Low-Cost Carrier of the Year” follows Skytrax’s award for “Best Low-Cost Airline in the Middle East,” based on global, independent surveys of more than 14 million passengers, given in August of this year.

The Sharjah-based carrier has embarked on an extensive expansion in 2007, with the announced purchase of up to 49 new A320 aircraft from Airbus over the next several years and the upcoming opening of a second hub in Rabat, Morocco.

Recently added destinations and flights across South Asia and the Middle East have also demonstrated the carrier’s rapid expansion in the last few months.- TradeArabia News Service