Life on a budget? Fly at a low cost with Air Arabia

What’s that one thing which kills a vacation at the inception? Travelling expenses. If that gets sorted, wouldn’t you plan one right away? Hello from the front row of Air Arabia.

About Air Arabia

Air Arabia is Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low cost carrier (LCC). It started its operation in 2005 and now flies from 13 cities across India. It offers a comprehensive connectivity across Middle East, North Africa, Asia and Europe.

In India, Air Arabia flies out from New Delhi, Jaipur, Goa, Nagpur, Kochi, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahemdabad, Bangalore and Chennai.

The carrier operates over 115 weekly flights to 34 countries, covering more than 100 airports. The airline has a fleet of new Airbus A320 aircraft. With a 32 inch seat pitch, it gives you the best leg room in any economy class travel. Another added advantage is the visa assistance to passengers from India.

Over the years the customer base of the airline has grown tremendously. By providing great connectivity to UAE and beyond, Air Arabia has become the preferred choice of most budget travellers.

Air Arabia review

This was my first time with Air Arabia and I had a mixed reaction. My journey by Air Arabia was from Delhi to Jordan (Amman) via Sharjah and the same route back.

Read 5 reasons to visit Jordan here.

Air Arabia is a low cost airline and that’s what the highlight is. The idea is to save money by flying a low cost airline and use that saved money for shopping, eating and exploring the destination.

We are all aware of low cost domestic airlines, but the experience of flying to an international destination on a low cost airline is quite different.

The flights have a large number of Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis flying to the Gulf region. Most for work, some for leisure! It is an enriching experience to talk to them and listen to their stories. Similarity in culture, shared love for Bollywood and cricket, and being nostalgic about the glorious past, there is a lot to talk about. The passenger right behind my seat kept humming Shah Rukh Khan’s song, ‘tu haan kar, ya na kar, tu hai meri kiran’. Whether it was the magic of SRK or the love for someone or just time passing, he only knew. For me, it was entertainment unlimited.

But like there are two sides of a coin, there are two sides of a story as well. Some of the co-passengers traveling to the middle east for work and odd jobs have bone chilling and harrowing experiences to share. They are disheartening but you get to learn a lot. Tales of betrayal, tales of separation, tales of survival; what outshines is hope and courage that keeps us all going. In short, you get to travel with humans. Humans not like us but those who are epitome of strength, love and sacrifice for their families.

Some points that you must keep in mind while flying Air Arabia –

1. Unlike other international flights, no pillows or blankets are provided. You have the option of buying them. I suggest you carry your warmers and a light stole.
2. Food has to be pre-booked or bought on the flight. Similar to our desi airlines.
3. Luggage has to be pre-booked or you’d have to pay extra during check-in.

Plan these things in advance and you’ll be able to save a lot of money.

The reason to fly Air Arabia is the same as flying a Spice Jet or an Indigo for domestic travel inside India. The low cost makes up for everything else. When life is on a budget, you can count on this carrier. Air Arabia strives to enhance the travelling experience and make it a notch higher with care and service.