Low-fare airlines have been around for a while. But the pioneer of this venture in the Middle East and North Africa is a Bahraini. He is a man who dislikes flying and doesn’t even enjoy travel. His name is Adel Abdulla Ali; his venture is Air Arabia. Air Arabia is the first airline of its kind in the region. Before its official launch in October of 2003, no other air travel provider offered budget airfare in North Africa and the Middle East.
When Ali helped found Air Arabia, he brought 25 years of experience in tourism, aviation and marketing with him. He has served as the Vice-President of Commercial and Customer Services for Gulf Air; while there he helped pull the airline out of the economic doldrums. Before Gulf Air, Ali spent 20 years with British Airways, where he worked in senior managerial positions, including as the general manager of the Middle East and Africa. Along with his experience, Ali offered ambition, charisma and enthusiasm to the founding team of Air Arabia. Ali is keen on success and business. Here are three notions that have helped Ali turn Air Arabia into what it is today.
Business Before Pleasure
Ali isn’t involved in Air Arabia because he loves to travel or fly. He is in it because it’s a business. There was a service gap in the region, and he pursued filling that gap. There was no cheap way to fly in the Middle East, so Ali provided one. Now Air Arabia has more than 70 routes globally. It’s easy to get caught up in a venture because of certain tendencies or interests, but one should not forget that any business venture is first and foremost a business.
Ali works in the flying industry as he would in any other business. He is business-minded and goal oriented, and this mindset is definitely working for him. He’s received the Low Cost Airline “CEO of the Year” award four consecutive times—in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. Ali sets business goals for himself. He works until he accomplishes those goals and then he moves on. Air travel is an industry with a thin profit margin. Rising fuel costs and economic downfalls in recent years have made the industry even more difficult.
Direction and Decisions
Flying anywhere is no easy task. There are always variables with weather and unexpected events. But flying in the Middle East is especially difficult and unpredictable. Everyday Ali faces tough business decisions that will not only affect his profit margins, but may affect the safety of his passengers and employees. Ali has to make quick and tough decisions when the company’s reputation and its passengers’ lives are on the line. He might have to avoid specific airports during unsafe periods, or reschedule flights due to unforeseen circumstances. No matter the decision, Ali is a quick and logically driven decision maker. His effective decision making is one of the reasons why Arabian Business ranked Ali 8th among the list of the world’s most influential Arabs.
Customers Come First
The idea of a budget airline for the customer is that you sacrifice amenities and comforts in order to pay less for the flight. But all of these sacrifices tend to create a less pleasant flight. Ali understands that there is value in keeping his customers satisfied. A satisfied customer is one that is likely to return. He hasn’t cut every single comfort on Air Arabia, and the flights still include entertainment and other amenities. Why? Ali wants his airline to provide value to every customer without sacrificing service quality. Though Air Arabia is a budget airline, it’s one with a focus on service and satisfaction.