Sharjah, April 21 (IANS/WAM): Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and north Africa, "will continue to set standard for the low-cost travel segment, offering great fares to an ever growing range of destinations".

This was stated by Air Arabia's Group Chief Executive Officer Adel Ali, as the company Saturday announced having carried a record 1,445,783 passengers in first quarter ending March 31, 2013, a 17.5 percent growth compared to same period in 2012.

"Air Arabia continues to witness significant growth in passenger numbers, and this demonstrates the popularity of the airline's value for money and excellent service," Ali added.

In the first quarter of 2013, the airline has launched flights from its primary hub in Sharjah to Sialkot in Pakistan, Baghdad in Iraq and Mattala in Sri Lanka.

The airline has also increased frequencies to many exiting routes. Air Arabia currently serves 85 Global routes from its hubs in the UAE, Morocco and Egypt.