Dubai, June 5 (IANS) The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) national carrier Air Arabia has announced that it would double its services to Mumbai to twice a day effective June 8. “Today, even more people in the large Indian expatriate population living in the UAE and GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) can take advantage of our extensive Middle Eastern and international network,” Air Arabia’s head of commercial department A.K. Nizar said in a statement.

“This move underscores Air Arabia’s commitment to the burgeoning Indian market and the city of Mumbai,” he added.

There are around 1.5 million expatriate Indians in the UAE.

According to the new schedule, afternoon flights will leave the low cost carrier’s hub in Sharjah at 4:36 p.m. local time and arrive in Mumbai at 9 p.m. The return flight will leave Mumbai at 9:45 p.m. and reach Sharjah at 11:05 p.m.

The evening flights will leave Sharjah at 11:35 p.m. and reach Mumbai the next day at 4:45 a.m. The return flight will take off from Mumbai at 4:45 a.m. and land in Sharjah at 6:05 a.m.