Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines will be launching direct flights between Istanbul and Ras Al Khaimah from October, according to Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority.

The initiative, which was announced during the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai last month, aims to expand the emirate’s reach within major source markets in Europe and Russia.  

Commencing from October 28, Pegasus Airlines will operate scheduled flights between Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. The service will be operated twice a week, on Saturday and Wednesday.

The new flight operation will provide outbound and transit travellers from Istanbul smoother and seamless access to Ras Al Khaimah. The carrier’s new route will further connect Ras Al Khaimah with 26 European destinations including the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, the Nordics and Russia via Istanbul.

Mattar said: “We are pleased to announce our strategic partnership with Pegasus Airlines that will help us introduce Ras Al Khaimah to the Turkish market and most importantly allow us to leverage Istanbul’s proximity and hub connectivity with our key feeder markets within Europe and Russia. This new addition is an important step in our continuous drive to increase accessibility and visibility, attract more high yield visitors, and ultimately boost both first-time and repeat visitation from our source markets.”

Ras Al Khaimah’s attractiveness amongst international tourists continues to be strong - accounting for 62 per cent of overall visitors in 2018 - attributable to its 7,000 years of fascinating history, authentic Arabian culture and heritage, high-profile adventure attractions, magnificent natural landscapes, and exclusive luxury and wellness experiences. As per figures last year, Germany, Russia and the UK continue to be the leading international source markets for Ras Al Khaimah, driven by a strong appetite for the destination’s year-round offering.

Ras Al Khaimah International Airport now welcomes direct connectivity from various global destinations including Cairo, Islamabad, Jeddah, Lahore, Peshawar, Calicut, Katowice, Poznan, Warsaw, Luxembourg, Prague, Moscow and Wroclaw. - TradeArabia News Service