RAK Airways : RT : RKM

Ras al-Khaimah, Emirat des EAU, pense à une compagnie du type LCC à la place de RAK Airways qui a cessé ses activités.


RAK AW avait des purchase rights sur quelques B737NG, courent-ils toujours ?


The UAE will get its third budget carrier shortly as the now-defunct RAK Airways readies for an overhaul, Emirates Business has learnt.

Ras Al Khaimah's carrier has turned focus to smaller aircraft with capacities of 100 to 120 seats and will look to replicate Sharjah-based Air Arabia's low-cost model, Oussama El Omari, Chief Executive of the emirate's free trade zone told this paper.

"The feasibility studies have been completed and the airline's restructuring is almost complete. It will not compete with the Emirates and Etihad but rather with Air Arabia,'' he said.

"The aim to is to target executives and economy passengers. The airline is being restructured to meet the market needs," Omari said.

The Ras Al Khaimah carrier was created by the emirate's government in 2005 and started operations at the end of 2007. The airline carried about 125,000 passengers in 2008 before suspending services in December due to difficulties with its aircraft.

It subsequently reduced its fleet size from three aircraft to one, and terminated its services to Dhaka, Colombo, Calicut and Chittagong. At the same time the airline also cut 60 jobs.

The airline also ran on a charter-only basis using its only aircraft, a Boeing 757-200. The cost of operating an airline with just one aircraft, besides logistics, was the key factor that forced the airline to terminate operations last year.

RAK Airwayshas been in negotiations for sometime with Boeing thereafter to lease and purchase up to four Boeing single-aisle 737 aircraft, according to industry sources. With these new aircraft, the airline is planning to launch services to new international destinations such as Brussels, Dusseldorf and Beirut as and when it restarts operations.

Besides, the airline has on order four new 737-800s worth Dh1.65 billion (Dh6.06bn), for delivery by 2011. Omari said the strategy would now be to acquire smaller capacity aircraft to suit a low cost model.

By Sean Davidson

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Sur Wikipedia :

RAK Airways is the national airline of Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven states in the United Arab Emirates. As a consequence of the financial crisis, the airline ceased all operations in 2008. RAK intends to relaunch operations - with a new flivery - in October 2010

La compagnie RAK Airways (des UAEs) reprend du service le 10 octobre

UAE's RAK Airways to relaunch services on 10 October

Ras Al Khaimah's latest attempt to establish its own airline will culminate with the commencement of flights in two weeks' time.
The emirate will restart services with RAK Airways, under another new colour scheme, operating to the cities of Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia, and Kozhikode in India.
RAK Airways states that flights will begin on 10 October. Chief executive Omar Jahameh says that it will offer competitive fares - as low as Dhs10 ($2.70) - but insists that it is not a low-cost carrier.
The airline will offer complimentary catering, seat selection upon booking and a free shuttle service from the airport.
RAK Airways has shown off its new livery on one of its aircraft, a Boeing 737-400 formerly operated by carriers including Air Berlin.

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Two years ago the carrier reached an agreement with Boeing to acquire up to six 737-800s, but this arrangement is not listed in the airframer's current backlog records.
Ras Al Khaimah's Government is trying to promote the region as a business and tourism destination in its own right and the creation of RAK Airways has accompanied economic reforms in the emirate.
But RAK Airways has had a shaky history since its initial formation through a decree in 2006. The carrier operated Boeing 757-200 aircraft to a range of destinations in Asia and the Middle East but suffered from organisational shortcomings in several areas, from its livery design to its route network, and underwent several changes of senior management.
RAK Airways finally suspended services last year but recently described the cessation of operations as a "hiatus", and indicated that it planned to relaunch as a full-service airline this year.

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