Ras Al Khaimah-based RAK Airways, one of the flagship carriers of the UAE, has ventured into a major aviation milestone announcing its inaugural scheduled domestic flight, the first of its kind in the history of the UAE. The airport-to-airport domestic flight is expected to commence from Oct.3, with the first service touching down in the capital, Abu Dhabi. Initially, RAK Airways will offer four flights a week on the route, increasing it to daily flights in December, and then double daily by April 2013. Passengers will not be required to carry their passports but the Emirates national ID cards will be mandatory at both the airports for check in and check out purposes. Announcing the date, the airline’s acting CEO, John Brayford said RAK Airways is strengthening its foothold in the regional aviation market. The CEO said that commencing of the domestic flight will make RAK Airways the first UAE airline to operate domestic flights, and will take the carrier’s route network up to 10 destinations. “With the launch of Abu Dhabi, we are offering residents of Ras Al Khaimah and the northern emirates an alternative and we are connecting Ras Al Khaimah to the capital,” explained Brayford. The northern emirates airline has worked on building passenger numbers, filling 250,000 seats in 2011, while gradually expanding its destination network to Africa, Middle East and Asia. The national carrier’s move to introduce more routes, boosted by the emirate’s efforts to market itself as a tourist and business destination, has also led to a significant rise in passenger numbers at RAK International Airport. Data issued by the airport’s operators showed that its passenger traffic recorded a 78.3 per cent jump in passenger traffic in the second quarter of 2012, while traffic in the first half of the year increased 67.8 per cent, over the respective periods a year earlier. In the first three months of 2012 passenger traffic increased by 58.5 per cent, well exceeding previous expectations. The airline has also put in place a system where customers can book flights through private travel agents. The airline, however, will soon allow bookings through its web site. The announcement of the domestic flights by Rak Airways has been welcomed by a cross-section of businessmen, who say that it will save a lot of time travelling for urgent business meeting and also reduce the stress travelling by road.   from:Gulftoday