Dubai plans low-cost airline

The Dubai Government has unveiled plans to launch a low-cost carrier to cater to the growing budget travel market in the U.A.E., according to state-owned Emirates News Agency (WAM).

The airline, which as yet has no name, will be initially supported by Emirates Group during the set-up period and will serve destinations within four and a half hours of Dubai.

The new carrier will be headed by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman of Emirates Group, and is expected to start operations within a year.

The U.A.E. already has one low-cost airline, Sharjah-based Air Arabia.

Premier Inn expands to Dubai

Premier Inn, the UK's biggest hotel brand, has announced the opening of their first hotel in Dubai. It's the first of a chain of hotels across the Middle East, with plans for at least a further 5 sites to be opened in the UAE in 2009.

Located in Dubai Investments Park next to the Green Community, the hotel features 308 modern and stylish air conditioned rooms, each en-suite with bath, shower and bidet. Prices are fixed at AED 450 per room per night.

Darroch Crawford, Managing Director of Premier Inn Middle East said, “We are extremely excited about introducing the Premier Inn brand to Dubai and the Middle East. This hotel marks the first step in achieving our objectives of operating 6000+ rooms across the GCC by 2012. We’re confident that Premier Inn’s ‘value’ model, of offering a 4 star product at 2 star prices, will be extremely successful in the region.”

Premier Inn at Dubai Investments Park opens on 30th March 2008.