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Monday, 25
August 2008
Emirates
Business 24/7 - Dubai,Dubai,United Arab Emirates
By Abdel Hai Mohamed
Air Blue, Pakistan's
second largest airline, began operations to Abu Dhabi yesterday
from Lahore, bringing the number of airlines touching down at the
UAE capital to 40.
The inaugural
Air Blue flight, which landed at around noon yesterday, was received
at the Abu Dhabi airport by Mohammed Al Bulooki, Vice-President
of Airline Marketing and Aeronautical Revenue at the Abu Dhabi Airports
Company (ADAC).
He said the
ADAC's aim had been to raise the number of airlines calling at Abu
Dhabi Airport to 39 by the end of 2008 a goal they had already
surpassed with four months of the year remaining.
Al Bulooki attributed
this to the rapid economic growth in Abu Dhabi, coupled with its
strategic location and the influx of large numbers of foreign tourists.
He added that
the ADAC was negotiating with 150 airlines and flight operators
from around the world to service Abu Dhabi.
Al Bulooki said
he expected a big demand for Air Blue's services from the 600,000-strong
Pakistani community in the UAE, about half of whom reside in Abu
Dhabi.
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