Sharjah, Air Arabia, announced it transported a total of 477,839 passengers in the month, up approximately 10 per cent year-on-year, the highest number of passengers that the airline carried in a month since inception.

The airline’s seat load factor – passengers as a percentage of total seats available –  reached 85 per cent. The airline has witnessed an increase in passenger traffic since the beginning of this year. In the second quarter of 2012, the operator carried 1.3 million passengers, an increase of more than15 per cent compared to the corresponding period in 2011.

Adel Ali, Air Arabia Group's chief executive officer, “It is encouraging to begin the second half of the year with record passenger numbers.

“Nearly half a million people every month now travel more for less with Air Arabia. As we continue to witness significant customer demand, our network expansion strategy coupled with our proven business model will drive Air Arabia’s growth in the future.”

Air Arabia’s second quarter net profit increased 31 per cent to AED 66 million, while turnover reached 729 million, an increase of 23 per cent compared to the same period a year earlier.  

Air Arabia added two new routes in the first half of 2012, with Taif in Saudi Arabia and Salalah in Oman.  The first half of 2012 also saw the delivery of three new aircraft from Airbus.