RAK Airways
{{Short description|Airline based in Ras Al Khaimah}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox airline
|airline=RAK Airways
|logo = Rak-airways-logo.png
|logo_size = 200px
|IATA = RT
|ICAO = RKM
|callsign = RAKAIR
|founded = 2006
|ceased = 1 January 2014
|headquarters = Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
|key_people = Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al Qasimi (Chairman)
|bases = Ras Al Khaimah International Airport
|focus_cities =
|frequent_flyer =
|lounge =
|alliance =
|fleet_size = 2
|destinations = 11
}}
RAK Airways was an airline based in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates.[http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?autono=260292&leftnm=1&subLeft=0&chkFlg= RAK Airways ready to fly into India]. Business Standard, P R Sanjai, 2 October 2006. It was established in 2006 but briefly ceased operations in 2009 and relaunched in 2010 with a new livery and under new management.{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/09/26/347814/uaes-rak-airways-to-relaunch-services-on-10-october.html. |accessdate=2010-09-26 |title=2001-10-10}} On 1 January 2014, the airline suspended all its flights but announced that they may resume at a future date after a restructuring process.{{cite web|url=http://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/rak-airways-will-fly-again-despite-operations-shutdown-1.1272470 |accessdate=2013-12-31 |title=RAK Airways will fly again despite operations shutdown}}
History
First news about a new airline based in Ras Al Khaimah emerged in 2005 and it was initially called Al Hamra Airlines. UAE Cabinet has later issued its official approval for setting up the RAK Airways as a national carrier in its decision No. 328/4 for 2005.{{Cite web|title=RAK Airways launched with a capital base of Dh1.5b|url=https://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/rak-airways-launched-with-a-capital-base-of-dh15b-1.225192|access-date=2021-01-17|website=gulfnews.com|language=en}} The new airways launched operations in early 2007. The carrier was affected by the 2008 financial crisis and ceased operations in 2009.{{Cn|date=January 2021}}
In 2010 the airline announced that it would be resuming operations with a New "value-for-money" business model, aiming to position itself between full-service and low-cost carriers.{{cite news| url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-26/u-a-e-s-rak-airways-to-restart-operations-on-october-10-ceo-jahameh-says.html | work=Bloomberg | first=Stefania | last=Bianchi | title=RAK Airways to Restart Operations on October 10 | date=26 September 2010}}
In February 2011, it was revealed that RAK Airways was planning on launching flights to between five and nine new destinations. Though it acknowledged the difficulty of securing slots at several of the destinations due to rival carriers in the UAE, it announced that it was finalizing a codeshare agreement with an Asian carrier and that it would also be increasing the size of its fleet.{{Cn|date=January 2021}}
In 2013, RAK Airways launched flights to Islamabad, Pakistan; and Amman, Jordan.[http://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/rak-airways-to-fly-to-islamabad-and-amman-1.1212363 RAK Airways to fly to Islamabad and Amman]
RAK Airways announced the immediate suspension of all operations on 1 January 2014, citing economic considerations.[https://web.archive.org/web/20140102192021/http://www.timesofoman.com/News/Article-27609.aspx timesofoman.com - RAK Airways suspends operations]{{cite news| url=http://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/rak-airways-suspends-operations-indefinitely-2013-12-31-1.533085 | title=RAK Airways suspends operations indefinitely |work= Emirates247.com | date=31 December 2013| accessdate= 31 December 2013 }}
Destinations
File:RAK AIRWAYS LAHORE FIRST FLIGHT.JPG in 2012]]
In December 2013, RAK Airways served the following destinations:[https://web.archive.org/web/20130626022702/http://www.rakairways.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/FlightSched.pdf Flight schedule archive PDF]
=Bus operations=
RAK Airways also operated bus services from Ras Al Khaimah to other UAE destinations like Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain, Ajman, Fujairah, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain, and Khor Fakkan.{{Cn|date=January 2021}}
Fleet
As of August 2013, the RAK Airways fleet consisted of the following aircraft and had pending orders for Boeing 737 Next Generation:[http://www.ch-aviation.ch/portal/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=HMR RAK Airways Fleet]
| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="margin:1em auto; white-space:nowrap; border-collapse:collapse"
|+ RAK Airways Fleet |
| style="background-color:lightblue;" | Aircraft
! style="background-color:lightblue;"| In Fleet ! style="background-color:lightblue;"| Notes |
|---|
| Airbus A320-200
|align="center"|2 | |
| Total
!2 ! |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category-inline|RAK Airways}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140527033754/http://www.rakairways.com/ rakairways.com] (last official record on archive.org). No longer an official website.
{{Portalbar|United Arab Emirates|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of the United Arab Emirates}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rak Airways}}
Category:Defunct airlines of the United Arab Emirates
Category:Airlines established in 2006
Category:Airlines disestablished in 2014