Mideast airlines reach for the sky

Arab sheikdoms eager for higher international profiles are ratcheting up their aviation race despite the global economic slump.

On Monday, the city-state Dubai plans to launch its second government-run airline _ the third major carrier this decade to spring from the United Arab Emirates, a country of less than a million citizens. The new low-cost airline will cater to budget travelers in a region better known for opulence than bargains.

Unlike their counterparts elsewhere, other Persian Gulf airlines vow to stick to plane delivery schedules, as their deep-pocketed patrons push ahead with ambitious airport expansions. The head of one Gulf carrier has even …