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The Jordanian aviation sector gained a new player on 19 May, when Air Arabia launched operations from Amman's Queen Alia International Airport to Kuwait City in conjunction with local equity partner RUM Group, a Jordanian transport firm.
Amman becomes the fifth hub in privately-owned Air Arabia's network, furthering its long-term aim of offering point-to-point connectivity across the Middle East and North Africa. The low-cost carrier's main operating base of Sharjah was last year complemented by a secondary UAE hub in Ras al Khaimah, while it also operates joint ventures in Alexandria, Egypt and Casablanca, Morocco.
Expansion to Jordan, however, comes with risk. While the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has praised Amman for "persevering" in the face of regional unrest, foreign tourists are largely steering clear of the Hashemite kingdom. Visitor numbers declined from 8.2 million in 2010 to 5.3 million last year as crisis after crisis rocked the Arab world. The downturn has only accelerated with the rise of Islamic State north of the border in Syria: tourism revenues fell 11.9 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2015.
With flag-carrier Royal Jordanian Airlines deepening its losses despite a comprehensive restructuring programme, 2015 is a curious year to launch a Jordanian airline. Yet Air Arabia chief executive Adel Ali appears confident that the timing is right.
"Jordan is a country full of potential with its steady economy and historical attractions," he said at the launch of the inaugural service to Kuwait. "Today marks the start of a new era of value air travel for people in Jordan and across the Levant....