Nairobi, Kenya (eTN) – I-Air Arabia, okuyinkampani yokuqala nenkulu kunazo zonke ethwala izindleko eziphansi (LCC) eMpumalanga Ephakathi naseNyakatho Afrika, yethule izindiza eziqondile zisuka eSharjah e-United Arab Emirates ziya eNairobi, eKenya.
Isevisi ye-Air Arabia eya eNairobi, eqale ngeSonto, Okthoba 26, 2008, izoqala ukusebenza izikhathi ezine ngesonto phakathi kweNairobi nesikhungo se-Air Arabia eSharjah.
"I-Air Arabia iyakujabulela ukuqala insizakalo enhlokodolobha nedolobha elikhulu kunawo wonke eKenya," kusho uMnu AK Nizar, iNhloko yoMnyango Wezohwebo, i-Air Arabia. “Okwamanje sinikezela ngamanethiwekhi endawo okuya kuwo aphelele eMpumalanga Ephakathi nase-Afrika, futhi ukuqala komsebenzi eNairobi kukhombisa imizamo yethu yokwanda kakhulu kulesi sifunda.
"Ngokwethula izinketho zokuhamba eziphumelelayo nezingabizi kakhulu kulabo abavakashela leli dolobha elikhulu lase-Afrika, i-Air Arabia iyaqhubeka nokukhombisa ukuzibophezela kwayo okungenakuqhathaniswa kubavakashi kanye nenani labantu base-Afrika abavela kwamanye amazwe e-UAE kanye nesifunda saseGulf esibanzi," engeza.
Futhi cishe lapho befika, abasebenzeli bezokuvakasha eNairobi besaba ukuthi imali yokugibela ephansi ekhokhiswa inkampani yenethiwekhi “engenamali” izoba nomthelela ongemuhle kusevisi egcwele, abaqhubi bezimoto ezikude ukusuka eMpumalanga Afrika ukuya eMpumalanga Ephakathi.
Isikhumulo sezindiza saseSharjah sisendaweni eyimizuzu engama-25 ukusuka eDubai. I-Dubai ingenye yezindawo ezihamba phambili ezivela eNairobi, ezihlinzekwa kuze kube manje ngabaqhubi abaqondile, i-Emirates Airlines ne-Kenya Airways, futhi ngokungaqondile yiQatar Airways (nge-Doha) kanye ne-Ethiopian Airlines (nge-Addis Ababa). I-Gulf Air yaphuma emzileni ngo-2003, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yokuncintisana okukhulu kwe-Emirates kanye ne-Kenya Airways.
I-Kenya Airways njengamanje ibiza u-Sh58, 000 (USD $725) imali yokugibela eNairobi iye e-Dubai Economy uma kuqhathaniswa ne-Emirates' Sh62, 000 ($775). Ngokuphambene, i-Air Arabia ikhangise amanani okugibela akhethekile angu-USD326 Nairobi ukuya eSharjah ngaphambi kwezintela eziyisilinganiso esingu-USD200. Isamba sokugibela siba u-$526 (Sh42, 200).
“Sikhathazekile ukuthi lezi zindleko zokugibela eziphansi zizoheha abagibeli abandizela eDubai ukuyozama amanani ashibhile. Kepha abagibeli abaxhumayo cishe bazolinda ukuze babone ukuthi kwenzekani ngesithuthi esisha, ngakho-ke kungenzeka basebenzise abathwali ababathandayo, ”kusho inkampani yezokuvakasha ekhethe ukungadalulwa.
INairobi iba indawo yesine ye-Air Arabia e-Afrika, futhi indawo yama-43 emhlabeni jikelele. Inkampani yenethiwekhi eshibhile izondizela eNairobi ngeMisombuluko, NgoLwesithathu, NgoLwesihlanu namaSonto, isuke eSharjah ngo-9:40 ekuseni futhi ifike eNairobi ngo-13:50 pm. Izindiza ezibuyayo zizosuka e-Nairobi ngo-14:35 pm futhi zifike e-Sharjah ngo-20:40 pm. INairobi kuzoba indawo yokuqala ye-Air Arabia eKenya, yesine e-Afrika kanye nendawo yama-43 emhlabeni jikelele.
Kusukela yasungulwa i-Air Arabia ngo-2003, inkampani yenethiwekhi eseSharjah ibone ukukhula okungakaze kubonwe ngaphambili futhi manje isihlinzeka ngamanethiwekhi amakhulu endawo eMpumalanga Ephakathi, eNingizimu Asia naseNyakatho Afrika. Umthuthi, manje osesebenzisa uxhaxha lwezindiza ezintsha eziyi-16 ze-Airbus A320, njengamanje endizela ezindaweni ezingama-42 emhlabeni jikelele, okuyisibalo esizokhuphukela ku-44 ngokwethulwa kwezindiza eziya eNairobi naseHyderabad ngasekupheleni kwale nyanga. Inkampani yezindiza iphinde yabona ukukhula okubonakalayo kwenani labagibeli, kudlula uphawu lwabagibeli abayizigidi eziyi-10 kulo nyaka.
