Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (RAK Airport) welcomed the first scheduled SpiceJet passenger flight, with the aircraft’s arrival heralding the commencement of both a new phase of operations for the UAE transport hub and a new era of connectivity between India and Ras Al Khaimah on November 27.
Touching down just before 01:00, SpiceJet’s flight SG 160 from Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, was given a ‘Water Salute’ - the traditional greeting for new flights that sees two airport fire tenders positioned either side of the aircraft spraying a plume of water into an arc over as it taxis to its stand. After landing and deplaning from the Boeing 737-800, the passengers on SpiceJet’s inaugural flight into RAK Airport were treated to a red-carpet walkway as they made their way into the airport terminal. There they were each given a gift from RAK Airport Duty-Free to commemorate the occasion and were invited to participate in a cake-cutting ceremony. Among the officials and dignitaries greeting the first set of passengers in SpiceJet’s first flight were Shri Uttam Chand, Community Affairs Consul at Consulate General of India in Dubai; Sanjay Khanna, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. Also attending the event were representatives from RAK Tourism Development Authority, SpiceJet, and key members from the Indian trade industry and business houses in the UAE. “We, at the Department of Civil Aviation Ras Al Khaimah, are thrilled and excited to welcome SpiceJet to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. This new service will open new routes for us to India, which is our largest market. With the facility to connect to more than 28 destinations in India via Delhi, it will stimulate consumer demand, provide connectivity and ease to our residents, and promote international tourism. As Jerry Crawford, an American aviation enthusiast once said: ‘To most people, the sky is the limit. To those who love aviation, the sky is home,’” said Engr. Sheikh Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of Ras Al Khaimah Department of Civil Aviation and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport.