New Regional Airline, ‘Al Hajjar Air’, to be Based in Fujairah

Update

In Process

A new Fujairah-based airline, Al Hajjar Air, is in the administrative and planning phase. The business plan has been reviewed by the Fujairah International Airport and the Department of Civil Aviation. The directors are currently seeking funds to enable Al Hajjar Air to enter the operational phase, hopefully in 2012.

The Vision

What is envisaged is a regional carrier, dedicated to connecting the GCC hubs (Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dammam, Doha, Muscat, Riyadh, Kuwait), with a later expansion into the Levant states and the Indian subcontinent.

The concept is proven in many regions of the world yet the Middle East lacks a dedicated regional airline. Consequently major airlines operate economically non-viable routes with large aircraft.

The Planes

Al Hajjar Air plans to operate dedicated regional aircraft in the form of modern turboprops with a stand-up cabin in single class configuration, large baggage compartments and equipped with the latest avionics and systems to ensure a smooth flight according to the highest safety standards.

All flight crew (2 pilots and 1 flight attendant) will be trained according to the stringent GCAA regulations.

Al Hajjar Air will operate primarily as a regional carrier not as a low cost carrier but the small turboprop planes will be a low cost operation suitable for developing the local market.

Fujairah Feeder Plans

Al Hajjar Air plans to feed passengers into an existing route network of the major Middle Eastern flag carriers. Al Hajjar Air will fly passengers to/from Fujairah or its other destinations to/from the base of their partner airline, giving the people of Fujairah a chance to buy for example, one single ticket from Fujairah to London.

Baggage check-in will be at the Fujairah International Airport and baggage pick-up at the destination. It is envisaged that Al Hajjar Air passengers will be entitled to use the passenger lounge of their partner airline at the intermediary stop, making the long trip a simple and pleasant experience.

Why Fujairah?

The concept of basing an airline in Fujairah came from a thorough due diligence investigation of scheduled air services in the UAE.

Fujairah has the potential of being a tourist hot spot in the UAE.

Currently, any business traveller in Fujairah must drive at least one hour to an airport in Dubai or Sharjah to catch a flight say to Doha and one must be there two hours before departure.

With Al Hajjar Air, one would travel a few minutes to the Fujairah International Airport where you would be checked-in and seated in your aircraft direct to Doha within half an hour. What a saving of time!

Furthermore, a daily service that links Fujairah with say Abu Dhabi, would benefit business and tourism interests and strengthen the link between Fujairah with the UAE capital.

Venturers

The venture is headed by Capt. Mike Carvath of the UK and Alex de Vos (currently based in Fujairah).

Captain Carvath is an experienced entrepreneur with various links to the auto industry in the UK and aviation industry in Iraq. He established one of the first dedicated charter airlines operating regional flights out of Erbil after the war.

Alex de Vos hails from the Netherlands and he started his aviation career in international operations mainly out of the USA. He has served in various aviation management positions, including Flight Operations Manager for a charter airline in Germany and CEO of Gulf Executive Aviation, an aviation consulting and air charter company in Bahrain.

Local Character

The intent of Al Hajjar Air is to provide quality air services within the region while taking into account the local customs, traditions and character of the place.

Investment Opportunity

Al Hajjar Air is offering local investors an opportunity to support a local enterprise which will not only use Fujairah as base but the vision of its leaders is “to be a driving force behind the development of the Fujairah International Airport as a primary passenger aviation hub within the GCC.”

Contact Details

Alex de Vos

President and CEO

Al Hajjar Aviation

P. O. Box 7825

FUJAIRAH, UAE

Tel: +971 (0) 55 2580502

Fax: +971 (0) 9 224 1414

Email: alex.devos@flyaha.com

Captain Mike Carvath

Email: mike.carvath@flyaha.com

Tel: +44 7766903190

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus-Facebook Page.

Image: Alex de Vos, President and CEO of Al Hajjar Aviation in Fujairah.