Air Arabia posted a net profit of AED 374 million in the first half of 2026, down 51% from a year earlier, as reduced capacity softened traffic and revenue growth. Revenues slipped 1% to AED 3.48 billion, while passenger numbers fell 14% to 8.7 million in the six months to 30 June.
Second-quarter profit dropped even more sharply, to AED 96 million, compared with the same period last year, while revenue declined 3% to AED 1.68 billion. The Middle East’s largest low-cost carrier remained profitable, but the half-year performance was affected by lower flying levels and weaker operating leverage.
Air Arabia had framed the results as resilient, but the underlying figures point to a more difficult operating environment. The carrier’s latest report comes after a period in which capacity constraints weighed on its ability to translate demand into higher earnings, leaving profit well below the prior-year level despite a still-substantial revenue base.