UK’s only direct service to Sharjah to launch from London Gatwick as Middle East demand surges
- Air Arabia will operate the only direct service between the UK and Sharjah, UAE, from 29 March 2026
- London Gatwick reported a 22.7% increase in passengers flying to the Middle East this summer
- The airport will offer 80 flights per week to Middle East destinations across the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia next summer
London Gatwick is offering more connectivity to the Middle East with the launch of twice-daily flights to Sharjah, operated by Air Arabia – the only direct service between this United Arab Emirates destination and the UK.
Starting 29 March 2026, the new route will operate on Airbus A321LR aircraft, increasing the total weekly flights between London Gatwick and the Middle East to 80.
Connectivity to the Middle East is in high demand from London Gatwick, with the airport reporting a 22.7% increase in passenger numbers this summer*. Multiple carriers have increased capacity to the region, with Wizz Air launching its XLR services to Medina and Jeddah, Qatar Airways operating larger 787-9 aircraft to Doha, Saudia increasing frequency of its new Neom Bay route and Gulf Air delivering strong numbers on its first summer at London Gatwick, operating to Bahrain.
Jonathan Pollard, Chief Commercial Officer, London Gatwick said: “Demand for flights to destinations across the Middle East has really taken off this year and we have been delighted to offer passengers across London and the South East an increasingly fantastic range of routes and choice of carriers.
“It is an exciting time for another operator to join London Gatwick following the recent government approval for routine use of our Northern Runway and we look forward to welcoming Air Arabia in March, serving the historic city of Sharjah and the wider Middle Eastern region.”
Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia said: “The launch of our new service to London Gatwick marks a significant milestone in Air Arabia’s ongoing growth journey. This expansion reflects our continued commitment to connecting our key markets with greater reach and convenience while delivering the value-driven travel experience Air Arabia is known for.
“The introduction of London Gatwick not only enhances connectivity from our Sharjah hub but reflects our commitment to offering customers, whether travelling for business or leisure, a greater choice of affordable and reliable air travel options. We look forward to welcoming travellers onboard and providing them with direct access between the UAE and the United Kingdom.”
London Gatwick recently announced Jet2 – one of the UK’s largest airlines – will start flying from the airport in March 2026, with 29 routes on offer. German carrier Condor has also secured slots and will be flying three times a day to Frankfurt from next April, while Skybus now connects passengers between London Gatwick and Cornwall Airport Newquay.
*London Gatwick recorded a 22.7% increase in passengers flying to the Middle East in Q3 2025, compared with Q3 2024.
With 43m annual passengers, London Gatwick is the UK’s second largest and one of Europe’s top ten airports. It is a vital piece of national infrastructure that drives both the national and regional economies by generating £5.5bn GVA and supporting over 76,000 jobs (2023). Almost 60 airlines fly from the airport to over 150 short-haul and more than 50 long-haul destinations. With a declared capacity of 55 movements an hour, London Gatwick is the most efficient single runway airport in the world.
The airport is located 28 miles south of the UK capital and is extremely well-connected, with more than a quarter of England’s population (15m people) – including all of London – less than one hour away by road or rail. A six-year, £2bn sustainable growth programme includes an ambitious plan to be a net zero airport by 2030 and to increase capacity by bringing the airport’s existing Northern Runway into routine use, alongside its Main Runway. VINCI Airports owns a 50.01% stake in the airport, with Global Infrastructure Partners managing the remaining 49.99%.
VINCI Airports, as the leading private airport operator in the world, manages the development and operation of more than 70 airports located in 14 countries. VINCI Airports draws on its expertise as a comprehensive integrator to develop, finance, build and operate airports, leveraging its investment capability and know-how to optimise operational performance and modernise infrastructure while bringing about their environmental transition. In 2016, VINCI Airports became the first airport operator to commit to an international environmental strategy, setting itself the aim of reaching zero net emissions (scope 1 and 2) across the network by 2050 while supporting the territories’ local climate transition.
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GIP’s scaled platform has over $170bn in assets under management. We believe that our focus on real infrastructure assets, combined with our deep proprietary origination network and comprehensive operational expertise, enables us to be responsible stewards of our clients’ capital and to create positive economic impact for communities. For more information, visit www.global-infra.com.
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London, UK, 12 November 2025
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