Air Arabia registered a net loss of AED169 million for the first half ending June 30, a direct result of second quarter performance being heavily impacted by COVID-19 and the subsequent cancellation of scheduled flight operations.

The company’s turnover for the first six months of the year registered AED1,021 billion, a drop of 53 percent compared to AED2,173 billion in the corresponding period in 2019. Air Arabia served a total 2,48 million passengers from all its four hubs in the first half of the year, a drop of 57 percent compared to first half of 2019.

The first half year results were largely driven by the second quarter that witnessed the most severe impact of COVID-19 on airlines operation. Regular flight schedule was affected by airport closures and suspension of flights.