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scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Has anyone tried Air Arabia - the newish cheapo-cheapo airline with hub in Sharjah ?

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Took it this Hajj. Awful! I only took it because Sri Lankan Airlines had inexplicably cancelled their Thursday flights and Air Arabia was the only one that allowed me to spend the whole holiday.

Cheapo, not. The fare was actually more expensive than either Air Lanka or Saudia (you can't book Qatar Airways over the internet so I can't comment on that). You don't get any food or drink on the plane unless you pay for pot noodles or sandwiches, and there was a four hour wait at Sharjah going (got in at four in the morning which pleased the guy waiting for me no end) and eight hours coming back. Sharjah airport is in reconstruction and the money changers remained closed for the first five hours on Friday so with no airline-provided food you starved -- the wifi won't connect either. And when you get back to Dammam you go through the separate immigration for GCC flights so there is only one immigration officer for the whole plane.

Sri Lankan airlines have reinstated the Thursday flight so I'm off in a week for 18 days, direct flight, top class food and service, getting in at a sensible hour, and 200 riyals cheaper than Air Arabia.

Tomton · Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 66

I've flown Air Arabia a few times from Bahrain and Dammam to Sharjah and found them to be excellent. The planes were new, clean and the flights all left on time. As with all low cost airlines the earlier you book the cheaper the ticket. I paid about SR400 return Dammam to Sharjah compared to an Emirates fare of about SR1,000. I'm not worried about inflight catering. Their flights from Dammam leave Wednesday evening and return Friday evening so you can have two nights in Sharjah or Dubai. Sharjah has a good duty free selling things you can't legally get in KSA. You can buy things in the duty free shop on arrival and there is no problem taking them into Sharjah. If you have a credit card then you can obtain cash from a cash machine inside the airport.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Flying to Sharjah would be OK. You don't need to bother about inflight food on a one hour flight, and you can wait for a drink till you get to Dubai.

It's when you need to take a second flight that the problems come. Sharjah airport is not the place you want to spend eight hours in, unlike Dubai, or even Qatar.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Yes I thought it would be like this. Flying to Istanbul they use Sabiha Gokcen Airport which is on the Asian side and miles away from anything and anywhere.

200 riyals cheaper than Gulfair or Turkish Airlines so I think the answer is,"Thanks, but no thanks."

ckhl · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Posts: 214 Location: SE Asia

I've flown them to Sri Lanka several times. In-flight catering is a moot point. I don't eat in the middle of the night so why would I if I am sitting in an airplane cabin? Otherwise I find them reliable and their fares are usually more than Dhs 1000 less than those on either Emirates or Sri Lankan Airlines, two carriers that are often grossly overrated. Getting to Sharjah Airport from Dubai is not problem. Getting in and out of SHJ is a breeze too.

Tomton · Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 66

Buy stuff in the dutyfree shop with a credit card or SR, consume them in the waiting area / cafeteria and you'll find the 8 hours pass very quickly...........

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

ckhl · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Posts: 214 Location: SE Asia

Having flown Sri Lankan Airlines about twenty times in the past few years I have to disagree. It is one of the better airlines in the world.

No matter how you look at it, the service in Third Class (Economy) is pretty much the same product/service across all airlines. I've flown many miles on Sri Lankan (CDG-CMB;DXB-CMB;CMB-KUL;CMB-BKK) in both Business and Third Class. It's pretty standard.

Is Dammam as dreadful as it was during the 6 months I spent there all those years ago? If ever I complain about the UAE, where I have lived for 10+ years, all I need do to gain some perspective is remember Saudi, even Jeddah, where I did a stint for 1.5 years.

Iamherebecause · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:31 am Post subject:

As long as you book very very much in advance the prices are OK. Biggest problem for UAE departure/arrival is Sharjah Airport, which must have been designed by Dante, and then he thought it was too awful to put in his Inferno. Smelliest toilets I have ever decided NOT to go into anywhere, and I've been a few places!

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Cleopatra · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 2:33 pm Post subject:

Agree with many of hte above posts.

I have only used Air Arabia once, on a return Riyadh-Beirut flight, and found them very good. Their fares are not as ridiculously cheap as some of the European budget airlines such as RyanAir, but still compare favourably with other rip-off Middle Eastern airlines. I also agree that the worst part of travelling with AA is the awful Sharjah airport, an overcrowded dump lacking in clean toilets (see above) and an even semi-comfortable place to sit. The good news is that the airport is currently undergoing a major overhaul, which will surely make flying with AA a more pleasurable experience in the future.