Obama lands in the Middle East as budget air travel takes off
Posted on 03 June 2009 with no comments from readers
With President Obama landing in the Middle East for the first time today all eyes are on the US leader for a new way forward in the troubled politics of the region. Buy you have to wonder if his efforts are likely to achieve as much for integration as the recent boom in low-cost air travel.
Flydubai is the latest entrant. Its first flight to Amman the capital of Jordan took off yesterday, joining the initial service to Beirut. Next up will be flights to the Syrian capital Damascus and Egypt’s Alexandria.
Air Arabia
Sharjah based Air Arabia has opened up the Middle Eastern skies to low-cost travel since its launch in 2003 and now serves dozens of regional destinations as well as its first European city, Athens launched last month. The model is a straightforward copy of European and US budget airlines with a few local modifications.
The benefit to regional travel for middle-income citizens and expatriates is enormous. They can fly to see family or friends more often, or explore the region at very modest cost.
There is nothing like travel, business and holidays to promote cultural integration and both a sense of mutual respect and social convergence. It is very hard to dislike people with whom you have just enjoyed a welcome holiday, or for them to dislike you if you have chosen to spend your time and money with them.
Velvet revolution
Low cost air travel is nothing short of a velvet revolution in the Middle East. There are no noisy politicians promoting it, just ordinary men and women deciding to take the chance to fly around the region for business and leisure at modest expense.
But if President Obama’s arrival in the region today heralds progress on the political front that would also be very welcome. The people of the region are sick and tired of decades of pointless conflict and would far prefer to get on with building a peaceful and prosperous future for their children.
Low-cost travel is in the vanguard of this progress, and is to be welcomed along with the President of the United States as a part of the solution to the woes of the Middle East.
