By IANS
Dubai : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has signed an agreement with India to start air services between the country and the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK).
According to the memorandum of understanding (MoU), which was signed in the presence of RAK Civil Aviation Department chairman Salim bin Sultan Al Qasimi in RAK Monday, seven daily flights would operated between India and RAK.
The agreement permits carriers to freely choose one destination in the subcontinent, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
A second destination can be added within the capabilities of the emirate’s new airline RAK Airways upon the launch of services between the two places.
Started in November last year, RAK Airways has one leased aircraft, but aims to have three leased aircraft by April this year. The airline hopes to expand the fleet to eight aircraft by April 2009.
The airline will have a capacity to fly 1.4 million passengers by April 2009 and it hopes to carry at least one million passengers, at 70 percent capacity, its chief operating officer had said at a conference last month.
According to the agreement, the two sides also agreed to increase the number of flights between the two places in future meetings.
Part of the Northern Emirates of the UAE, RAK has a population of around 250,000.
Many of the 1.4 million expatriate Indians in the UAE live in this emirate.