Air Arabia was founded in 2003 and is based in Sharjah, UAE. It operates 44 aircraft to 115 destinations and is the first and largest low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa region. Air Arabia targets middle-class customers, as 85% of potential customers in the region cannot afford standard airfares. The company looks to expand its services to new regions to reach more potential customers. It faces intense competition from other low-cost carriers operating in the Middle East such as FlyDubai, Flynas, and Air Arabia faces challenges maintaining its leadership with increased competition from other airlines adopting its low-cost business model.