Inflight caterer and airport concession company Alpha Airports has signed a 10-year multi-million-pound deal at United Arab Emirates' Sharjah International Airport.

The contract provides exclusive inflight catering and ancillary services to all airlines operating out of the airport.

Alpha will also take responsibility for the Business and First Class lounges, where it plans to introduce its World News Café brand. Sales from comparable concession activities in 2005 were in the region of £5m.

The caterer is also investing £500,000 in a joint venture with budget airline operator Air Arabia, which has its base at the airport.

Peter Williams, chief executive of Alpha Airports, said: “This extension to our business in the Middle East allows Alpha to exploit the expertise it has developed in Jordan over the past five years.”

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By Chris Druce

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