Gulf Air recently hosted key members of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's travel trade industry at a networking event, aimed at informing guests of the airline's latest developments and customer-focused initiatives while thanking them for their longstanding support.
The event was hosted by Gulf Air’s Country Manager in Dammam, Hamed Khamdan with the support of the airline’s Saudi Arabia General Sales Agent, Al Tayyar Travel and Tourism Group.
Gulf Air launched passenger facilities including: prepaid seat selection, excess baggage and lounge access – all aimed at making travel even more comfortable for passengers while giving them greater control to manage various add-ons pre-travel.
Additionally, the airline recently rolled out online flight status and online group bookings facilities aimed at giving passengers more access to relevant and time-critical information and to facilitating travel across the Gulf Air network for group travellers – respectively.
Among its upcoming initiatives, Gulf Air will soon be rolling out its dedicated holidays unit “Gulf Air Holidays” offering travellers a wide range of holiday packages and tailor-made travel solutions to destinations worldwide – both across the Gulf Air network and beyond.
The airline is also preparing to launch an online visa facility this summer that will support its longstanding efforts to promote the Kingdom of Bahrain as a destination to a broad spectrum of travellers while making the process of obtaining a short term visit visa to Bahrain easier and more convenient.
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Showing posts with label Kingdom of Bahrain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kingdom of Bahrain. Show all posts
Saturday, 1 July 2017
BAHRAIN: Gulf Air Launches Flights To Tbilisi, Georgia
Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, launched its highly anticipated direct 3 weekly service to the Georgian capital Tbilisi.
Commenting on the launch of Gulf Air’s newest destination, Gulf Air Chief Executive Officer Mr. Maher Salman Al Musallam said: I am delighted Gulf Air is directly connecting Bahrain and Georgia and witnessing such high demand as we commence operations is a positive indication of what is to come.
I look forward to seeing passengers from across the GCC and MENA region fly with us, enjoying the Gulf Air product and service offering en-route to experiencing the diverse appeal of this destination.
Gulf Air’s direct 3 weekly flights between Bahrain and Georgia are supplemented by, this week and due to high passenger demand, two additional flights that will operate on 23rd and 25th June 2017.
Bahrain’s national carrier operates double daily flights or more to 10 regional cities, providing seamless connectivity for passengers travelling across its network via its efficient Bahrain International Airport hub.
Gulf Air tickets can be purchased via the airline’s official website gulfair.com, or any Gulf Air sales offices and approved travel agencies.
Gulf Air is the principal flag carrier of Bahrain. Headquartered in Muharraq,adjacent to Bahrain International Airport,the airline operates scheduled services to 41 destinations in 23 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe. Its main base is Bahrain International Airport.
In 1973 the governments of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Qatar, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Sultanate of Oman agreed to purchase the BOAC Associated Companies holding in Gulf Aviation.The Foundation Treaty was signed on 1 January 1974 and gave each government a 25% shareholding in Gulf Aviation, which became a holding company. The operating company was now branded as Gulf Air and became the flag carrier for the four states.
With leased Lockheed L-1011 Tristar and Boeing 737 aircraft joining the fleet, by 1976 Gulf Air had expanded its route network to include Amman, Amsterdam, Athens, Baghdad, Bombay, Bangkok, Beirut, Cairo, Colombo, Delhi, Dhaka, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Karachi, Khartoum, Larnaca, Manila, Paris, Ras al-Khaimah and Sana'a.
The fleet comprised four Vickers VC10, three BAC One-Elevens, two Lockheed L-1011 Tristar 200s and five Boeing 737–200s. In 1978, the airline doubled the Tristar fleet to replace the VC10s. Meanwhile, the airline increased the Boeing 737 fleet to nine and phased out the One-Elevens.
The 1980s saw an increase in air travel and growth for Gulf Air. In 1981, Gulf Air became an IATA member, and in the following year became the first international airline to land at Riyadh. In 1985, Emirates, the startup national carrier of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, began operating, and would later become a major rival of Gulf Air.
In 1988, Boeing 767s joined the fleet, and the airline launched service to Frankfurt, Istanbul, Damascus, Dar es Salaam, Fujairah and Nairobi, and resumed service to Shiraz and Baghdad.
Gulf Air celebrated its 40th anniversary in 1990. The light-blue and peach Balenciaga-designed uniform was introduced. Services to Singapore, Sydney and Thiruvananthapuram were launched, Gulf Air thereby becoming the first Arab airline to fly to Australia.
Gulf Air added services to Johannesburg and Melbourne in 1992, becoming the first Arab airline to fly directly to these cities. In 1993, it opened a flight-simulator centre in Qatar, and introduced service to Casablanca, Entebbe, Jakarta, Kilimanjaro, Madras, Rome, San'a', Zanzibar and Zürich.
In May 1994, Gulf Air received its first Airbus A340-300. A no-smoking policy was established in 1998 on flights to Singapore and Australia, which was later extended through its whole network. In 1999, Gulf Air launched three new routes in northern Pakistan: Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar. It also took delivery of two out of six Airbus A330-200 aircraft, and introduced a new Balmain uniform.[The Gulf Air website opened in January 1997.
In 2000, the airline celebrated its 50th anniversary. It took delivery of the remaining Airbus A330-200 aircraft in June, and launched service to Milan.
In May 2002, James Hogan became President and CEO of Gulf Air and instigated a restructuring and turnaround programme in response to a drastic fall in profits and increasing debt. The Gulf Air board unanimously approved the three-year plan at an extraordinary general meeting held on 18 December.
1 August 2002 the State of Qatar announced intentions to withdraw from Gulf Air. The state remained a member state for a six-month period after announcing the intention to withdraw.
In 2003, Gulf Air introduced a new Landor Associates-designed livery and, in June, established Gulf Traveller, a subsidiary, all-economy, full-service airline. It also announced a sponsorship deal for the Bahrain Grand Prix through 2010, creating the Gulfair Bahrain Grand Prix, of which the first was staged in 2004. The airline also introduced daily flights to Athens and Sydney via Singapore on 23 November 2003.
In 2004, Gulf Air introduced direct flights between Dubai and London, Muscat and London, and a daily service between Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah. The airline carried a record 7.5 million passengers during that year.Gulf Air's sponsorship of the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix continued, with a record race crowd and a global TV audience. The airline announced a return to profit, with the best financial performance since 1997.
Despite a BD30 million (US$80 million) cost to the business through fuel price rises during the year, Gulf Air recorded a profit of BD1.5 million (US$4.0 million) in the calendar year to December 2004, on revenues up 23.8% to BD476.3 million (US$1.26 billion) (2003: BD 384.6 million / USD1,020.2 million). The results meant the airline out-performed the targets set under Project Falcon, the three-year restructuring plan approved by the Board in December 2002.
The owner states of Gulf Air at that time—the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the Sultanate of Oman—confirmed their support for further expansion of the airline through a new three-year strategic plan which would include re-equipment of the aircraft fleet and recapitalization of the business through private-sector financing. Gulf Air was also placed on the IOSA registry following its successful completion of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).
The new summer schedule commencing 28 April 2006 saw the complete withdrawal from Abu Dhabi as a hub, following the decision on 13 September 2005 by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to withdraw from Gulf Air and establish its own airline, Etihad Airways.
Gulf Air changed its operations to a dual-hub basis between Bahrain and Muscat airports. The airline ran a series of advertisements in local newspapers, thanking Abu Dhabi for its contribution to Gulf Air.
As the national carrier for the United Arab Emirates for over 35 years, it has a large customer base located in Abu Dhabi. Gulf Air endeavoured to show continuing support for flights to Abu Dhabi from Bahrain and Muscat, connecting to the rest of the Gulf Air network, via advertisements placed in local newspapers.
James Hogan resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer as of 1 October 2006,subsequently becoming CEO at rival airline Etihad. Ahmed Al Hammadi was named acting chief executive officer, until Swiss national Andre Dose, the former chief executive officer of Crossair and Swiss International Air Lines, became CEO on 1 April 2007.
A few days later, Dose announced a BD310 million (USD825 million) restructuring plan. This included originating or terminating all flights in Bahrain; ceasing routes to Johannesburg, Dublin, Jakarta, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sydney; eliminating all Boeing 767s and Airbus A340-300s from the fleet; introducing the Airbus A321 in July 2007 and the Airbus A330-300 in 2009; and potentially terminating employment based on performance, and without regard for nationality.
This led to some employees applying for jobs in other airlines and, in less than a month, Gulf Air lost 500 persons from its workforce, prompting the airline to rule out mass layoffs as part of its recovery plan, except for performance reasons.
On 5 May 2007, the government of Bahrain claimed full ownership of the airline, as joint-owner Oman withdrew from the airline.Andre Dose resigned on 23 July 2007 and was replaced by Bjorn Naf. On 6 November 2007, Gulf Air started its third daily non-stop flight to London Heathrow Airport from Bahrain. On the same day, Gulf Air became fully owned by Bahrain.
The airline inaugurated services to Shanghai Pudong International Airport on 16 June 2008,the route was terminated on 25 December 2009. It also placed orders with Boeing for 24 787s and Airbus for 15 A320s and 20 A330s to upgrade its fleet.
The airline's last commercial Boeing 767 flight was on 29 May 2008. On 3 July 2008, Gulf Air was announced as the official sponsor of London association football club, Queens Park Rangers. The same year, Gulf Air signed a lease agreement for five aircraft with International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) as part of its growth and expansion strategy. The lease was for six years for two Airbus A319s and three Airbus A330-200s, due for delivery in March, April and May 2009.
In March 2009, Gulf Air signed a 42-month lease agreement with Jet Airways for four Boeing 777-300ERs, but the aircraft were returned to Jet Airways starting in September 2009. In May, Gulf Air inaugurated summer seasonal flights to Alexandria, Aleppo and Salalah. On 1 September 2009, Gulf Air resumed flights to Baghdad. Services to Najaf and Erbil began shortly afterward.
Starting June 2009, Gulf Air's Golden Falcon logo was seen on the streets of London, emblazoned on the side of the city's taxi cabs, as part a two-year marketing deal. Fifty Hackney Carriages were to be rolled out in full Gulf Air livery to promote the airline's flights from London Heathrow to Bahrain and beyond.
Later in June, the carrier announced the departure of CEO Bjorn Naf and the appointment of Samer Majali,who worked previously for Royal Jordanian as CEO effective 1 August 2009.
On 1 March 2010, Gulf Air launched its new "Falcon Gold" cabin, a single premium cabin that is aimed at offering higher standards of comfort for the standard premium price. As of August 2011, the new Flat Beds were installed on all aircraft except short-haul aircraft.
On 5 September 2011, Gulf Air appointed Dr. Jassim Haji as Director of Information Technology, reporting directly to the CEO of the airline.
In 2011, Gulf Air temporarily suspended flights to Iran, Iraq and Lebanon during the height of the Bahraini uprising. The airline originally was to resume service to Iran from November 2012, but cancelled the plan as it was unable to receive approval from the Iranian authorities. Flights to Iran resumed in March 2014.
In November 2012, Gulf Air phased out its last Airbus A340-300. At the end of November 2012, it was announced that Gulf Air CEO Samer Majali's resignation had been accepted by the Board of Directors. Majali left by the end of 2012, after serving the company for three years.Maher Salman Al Musallam was the acting CEO of Gulf Air until May 2016, when he was officially appointed to the role.
At the Bahrain Airshow in January 2016, Gulf Air ordered 17 A321neo and 12 A320neo aircraft for delivery from June 2018, and cancelled a commitment to acquire six A330-300 aircraft. In addition, the airline also announced an restructured order for 16 Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The new order of 16 Boeing 787-9 aircraft replaced an existing order for 16 of the smaller Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
Gulf Traveller was the all-economy full service subsidiary airline of Gulf Air. Its main base was Abu Dhabi International Airport.It was briefly relocated between Bahrain and Muscat airports after Abu Dhabi pulled out of the Gulf Air consortium in 2005, and in May 2007 Oman also pulled out of the group leaving Bahrain as sole owner of Gulf Air. Gulf Traveller has since been disbanded due to these changes.
In 2011, due largely to political unrest in the state of Bahrain, Gulf Air lost BHD95 million (USD250 million),and in 2012, the loss grew to BHD196 million (USD520 million).In response, a decision was taken in 2013 to implement a turnaround plan that involved reducing the airline's fleet, number of staff and number of destinations.
In subsequent years the losses reduced, and in 2015, the loss reported was BHD24.1 million (USD63.9 million), an 88% reduction from 2012.
Gulf Air sponsors events, of which the most prestigious is the Bahrain Grand Prix. This is usually the first or fourth race of the Formula One season, and is held in March or April. Gulf Air was also the first ever shirt sponsor of Chelsea F.C. in 1983 and 1984.More recently, it was shirt sponsor of Queens Park Rangers F.C. from 2008 to 2011. It also sponsors the Bahrain International Airshow
As of January 2017, Gulf Air flies to 41 international destinations in 23 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe from its hub at Bahrain International Airport.Gulf Air's own Falcon Gold lounge could be found at the airports of Bahrain, Dubai and London–Heathrow.
Gulf Air has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:
- American Airlines
- EgyptAir
- Pakistan International Airlines
- Royal Jordanian
23 September 1983: Gulf Air Flight 771 was a flight from Karachi, Pakistan to Qatar via Abu Dhabi. While the Boeing 737-200 was on approach to Abu Dhabi International Airport, a bomb exploded in the baggage compartment. The aircraft crashed in the desert near Mina Jebel Ali between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE.
All seven crew members and 105 passengers died. Most of the fatalities were Pakistani nationals, many returning to jobs in the Gulf after spending the Eid ul-Adha holiday with their families in Pakistan. The bomb was apparently planted by the Abu Nidal Organization, to pressure the Gulf States to pay protection money to Nidal so as to avoid attacks on their soil.
23 August 2000: Gulf Air Flight 072 crashed into the Persian Gulf on approach to Bahrain International Airport from Cairo. The Airbus A320, with 143 passengers and crew on board, approached the landing at higher speeds than normal, and carried out an unusual low altitude orbit in an attempt to correct the approach.
The orbit was unsuccessful and a go-around was attempted. While carrying out a turning climb the aircraft entered a descent at 15 degrees nose down. The aircrew did not respond to repeated GPWS warnings and approximately one minute after starting the go-around the aircraft disappeared from radar screens.
All 143 passengers and crew, including 36 children, were killed in the accident.The accident investigation concluded that the primary cause of the crash was pilot error,including spatial disorientation, with a secondary factor being systemic organizational and oversight issues.
Flight 072 was the highest death toll of any accident involving an Airbus A320 at that time. It was subsequently surpassed by TAM Airlines Flight 3054, which crashed on 17 July 2007 with 199 fatalities.
On 29 August 2011: Gulf Air Flight 270, using an Airbus A320-214, from Bahrain to Cochin carrying 143 people, skidded off the runway on landing due to pilot error of loss of situational awareness during reduced visibility conditions. The weather was poor with heavy rain and strong winds. The aircraft was badly damaged with nose gear collapsed and seven passengers were injured. Some people were reported to have jumped from an emergency exit when the evacuation slide failed to deploy.
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Commenting on the launch of Gulf Air’s newest destination, Gulf Air Chief Executive Officer Mr. Maher Salman Al Musallam said: I am delighted Gulf Air is directly connecting Bahrain and Georgia and witnessing such high demand as we commence operations is a positive indication of what is to come.
I look forward to seeing passengers from across the GCC and MENA region fly with us, enjoying the Gulf Air product and service offering en-route to experiencing the diverse appeal of this destination.
Gulf Air’s direct 3 weekly flights between Bahrain and Georgia are supplemented by, this week and due to high passenger demand, two additional flights that will operate on 23rd and 25th June 2017.
Bahrain’s national carrier operates double daily flights or more to 10 regional cities, providing seamless connectivity for passengers travelling across its network via its efficient Bahrain International Airport hub.
Gulf Air tickets can be purchased via the airline’s official website gulfair.com, or any Gulf Air sales offices and approved travel agencies.
Gulf Air is the principal flag carrier of Bahrain. Headquartered in Muharraq,adjacent to Bahrain International Airport,the airline operates scheduled services to 41 destinations in 23 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe. Its main base is Bahrain International Airport.
In 1973 the governments of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Qatar, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Sultanate of Oman agreed to purchase the BOAC Associated Companies holding in Gulf Aviation.The Foundation Treaty was signed on 1 January 1974 and gave each government a 25% shareholding in Gulf Aviation, which became a holding company. The operating company was now branded as Gulf Air and became the flag carrier for the four states.
With leased Lockheed L-1011 Tristar and Boeing 737 aircraft joining the fleet, by 1976 Gulf Air had expanded its route network to include Amman, Amsterdam, Athens, Baghdad, Bombay, Bangkok, Beirut, Cairo, Colombo, Delhi, Dhaka, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Karachi, Khartoum, Larnaca, Manila, Paris, Ras al-Khaimah and Sana'a.
The fleet comprised four Vickers VC10, three BAC One-Elevens, two Lockheed L-1011 Tristar 200s and five Boeing 737–200s. In 1978, the airline doubled the Tristar fleet to replace the VC10s. Meanwhile, the airline increased the Boeing 737 fleet to nine and phased out the One-Elevens.
The 1980s saw an increase in air travel and growth for Gulf Air. In 1981, Gulf Air became an IATA member, and in the following year became the first international airline to land at Riyadh. In 1985, Emirates, the startup national carrier of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, began operating, and would later become a major rival of Gulf Air.
In 1988, Boeing 767s joined the fleet, and the airline launched service to Frankfurt, Istanbul, Damascus, Dar es Salaam, Fujairah and Nairobi, and resumed service to Shiraz and Baghdad.
Gulf Air celebrated its 40th anniversary in 1990. The light-blue and peach Balenciaga-designed uniform was introduced. Services to Singapore, Sydney and Thiruvananthapuram were launched, Gulf Air thereby becoming the first Arab airline to fly to Australia.
Gulf Air added services to Johannesburg and Melbourne in 1992, becoming the first Arab airline to fly directly to these cities. In 1993, it opened a flight-simulator centre in Qatar, and introduced service to Casablanca, Entebbe, Jakarta, Kilimanjaro, Madras, Rome, San'a', Zanzibar and Zürich.
In May 1994, Gulf Air received its first Airbus A340-300. A no-smoking policy was established in 1998 on flights to Singapore and Australia, which was later extended through its whole network. In 1999, Gulf Air launched three new routes in northern Pakistan: Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar. It also took delivery of two out of six Airbus A330-200 aircraft, and introduced a new Balmain uniform.[The Gulf Air website opened in January 1997.
In 2000, the airline celebrated its 50th anniversary. It took delivery of the remaining Airbus A330-200 aircraft in June, and launched service to Milan.
In May 2002, James Hogan became President and CEO of Gulf Air and instigated a restructuring and turnaround programme in response to a drastic fall in profits and increasing debt. The Gulf Air board unanimously approved the three-year plan at an extraordinary general meeting held on 18 December.
1 August 2002 the State of Qatar announced intentions to withdraw from Gulf Air. The state remained a member state for a six-month period after announcing the intention to withdraw.
In 2003, Gulf Air introduced a new Landor Associates-designed livery and, in June, established Gulf Traveller, a subsidiary, all-economy, full-service airline. It also announced a sponsorship deal for the Bahrain Grand Prix through 2010, creating the Gulfair Bahrain Grand Prix, of which the first was staged in 2004. The airline also introduced daily flights to Athens and Sydney via Singapore on 23 November 2003.
In 2004, Gulf Air introduced direct flights between Dubai and London, Muscat and London, and a daily service between Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah. The airline carried a record 7.5 million passengers during that year.Gulf Air's sponsorship of the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix continued, with a record race crowd and a global TV audience. The airline announced a return to profit, with the best financial performance since 1997.
Despite a BD30 million (US$80 million) cost to the business through fuel price rises during the year, Gulf Air recorded a profit of BD1.5 million (US$4.0 million) in the calendar year to December 2004, on revenues up 23.8% to BD476.3 million (US$1.26 billion) (2003: BD 384.6 million / USD1,020.2 million). The results meant the airline out-performed the targets set under Project Falcon, the three-year restructuring plan approved by the Board in December 2002.
The owner states of Gulf Air at that time—the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the Sultanate of Oman—confirmed their support for further expansion of the airline through a new three-year strategic plan which would include re-equipment of the aircraft fleet and recapitalization of the business through private-sector financing. Gulf Air was also placed on the IOSA registry following its successful completion of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).
The new summer schedule commencing 28 April 2006 saw the complete withdrawal from Abu Dhabi as a hub, following the decision on 13 September 2005 by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to withdraw from Gulf Air and establish its own airline, Etihad Airways.
Gulf Air changed its operations to a dual-hub basis between Bahrain and Muscat airports. The airline ran a series of advertisements in local newspapers, thanking Abu Dhabi for its contribution to Gulf Air.
As the national carrier for the United Arab Emirates for over 35 years, it has a large customer base located in Abu Dhabi. Gulf Air endeavoured to show continuing support for flights to Abu Dhabi from Bahrain and Muscat, connecting to the rest of the Gulf Air network, via advertisements placed in local newspapers.
James Hogan resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer as of 1 October 2006,subsequently becoming CEO at rival airline Etihad. Ahmed Al Hammadi was named acting chief executive officer, until Swiss national Andre Dose, the former chief executive officer of Crossair and Swiss International Air Lines, became CEO on 1 April 2007.
A few days later, Dose announced a BD310 million (USD825 million) restructuring plan. This included originating or terminating all flights in Bahrain; ceasing routes to Johannesburg, Dublin, Jakarta, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sydney; eliminating all Boeing 767s and Airbus A340-300s from the fleet; introducing the Airbus A321 in July 2007 and the Airbus A330-300 in 2009; and potentially terminating employment based on performance, and without regard for nationality.
This led to some employees applying for jobs in other airlines and, in less than a month, Gulf Air lost 500 persons from its workforce, prompting the airline to rule out mass layoffs as part of its recovery plan, except for performance reasons.
On 5 May 2007, the government of Bahrain claimed full ownership of the airline, as joint-owner Oman withdrew from the airline.Andre Dose resigned on 23 July 2007 and was replaced by Bjorn Naf. On 6 November 2007, Gulf Air started its third daily non-stop flight to London Heathrow Airport from Bahrain. On the same day, Gulf Air became fully owned by Bahrain.
The airline inaugurated services to Shanghai Pudong International Airport on 16 June 2008,the route was terminated on 25 December 2009. It also placed orders with Boeing for 24 787s and Airbus for 15 A320s and 20 A330s to upgrade its fleet.
The airline's last commercial Boeing 767 flight was on 29 May 2008. On 3 July 2008, Gulf Air was announced as the official sponsor of London association football club, Queens Park Rangers. The same year, Gulf Air signed a lease agreement for five aircraft with International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) as part of its growth and expansion strategy. The lease was for six years for two Airbus A319s and three Airbus A330-200s, due for delivery in March, April and May 2009.
In March 2009, Gulf Air signed a 42-month lease agreement with Jet Airways for four Boeing 777-300ERs, but the aircraft were returned to Jet Airways starting in September 2009. In May, Gulf Air inaugurated summer seasonal flights to Alexandria, Aleppo and Salalah. On 1 September 2009, Gulf Air resumed flights to Baghdad. Services to Najaf and Erbil began shortly afterward.
Starting June 2009, Gulf Air's Golden Falcon logo was seen on the streets of London, emblazoned on the side of the city's taxi cabs, as part a two-year marketing deal. Fifty Hackney Carriages were to be rolled out in full Gulf Air livery to promote the airline's flights from London Heathrow to Bahrain and beyond.
Later in June, the carrier announced the departure of CEO Bjorn Naf and the appointment of Samer Majali,who worked previously for Royal Jordanian as CEO effective 1 August 2009.
On 1 March 2010, Gulf Air launched its new "Falcon Gold" cabin, a single premium cabin that is aimed at offering higher standards of comfort for the standard premium price. As of August 2011, the new Flat Beds were installed on all aircraft except short-haul aircraft.
On 5 September 2011, Gulf Air appointed Dr. Jassim Haji as Director of Information Technology, reporting directly to the CEO of the airline.
In 2011, Gulf Air temporarily suspended flights to Iran, Iraq and Lebanon during the height of the Bahraini uprising. The airline originally was to resume service to Iran from November 2012, but cancelled the plan as it was unable to receive approval from the Iranian authorities. Flights to Iran resumed in March 2014.
In November 2012, Gulf Air phased out its last Airbus A340-300. At the end of November 2012, it was announced that Gulf Air CEO Samer Majali's resignation had been accepted by the Board of Directors. Majali left by the end of 2012, after serving the company for three years.Maher Salman Al Musallam was the acting CEO of Gulf Air until May 2016, when he was officially appointed to the role.
At the Bahrain Airshow in January 2016, Gulf Air ordered 17 A321neo and 12 A320neo aircraft for delivery from June 2018, and cancelled a commitment to acquire six A330-300 aircraft. In addition, the airline also announced an restructured order for 16 Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The new order of 16 Boeing 787-9 aircraft replaced an existing order for 16 of the smaller Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
Gulf Traveller was the all-economy full service subsidiary airline of Gulf Air. Its main base was Abu Dhabi International Airport.It was briefly relocated between Bahrain and Muscat airports after Abu Dhabi pulled out of the Gulf Air consortium in 2005, and in May 2007 Oman also pulled out of the group leaving Bahrain as sole owner of Gulf Air. Gulf Traveller has since been disbanded due to these changes.
In 2011, due largely to political unrest in the state of Bahrain, Gulf Air lost BHD95 million (USD250 million),and in 2012, the loss grew to BHD196 million (USD520 million).In response, a decision was taken in 2013 to implement a turnaround plan that involved reducing the airline's fleet, number of staff and number of destinations.
In subsequent years the losses reduced, and in 2015, the loss reported was BHD24.1 million (USD63.9 million), an 88% reduction from 2012.
Gulf Air sponsors events, of which the most prestigious is the Bahrain Grand Prix. This is usually the first or fourth race of the Formula One season, and is held in March or April. Gulf Air was also the first ever shirt sponsor of Chelsea F.C. in 1983 and 1984.More recently, it was shirt sponsor of Queens Park Rangers F.C. from 2008 to 2011. It also sponsors the Bahrain International Airshow
As of January 2017, Gulf Air flies to 41 international destinations in 23 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe from its hub at Bahrain International Airport.Gulf Air's own Falcon Gold lounge could be found at the airports of Bahrain, Dubai and London–Heathrow.
Gulf Air has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:
- American Airlines
- EgyptAir
- Pakistan International Airlines
- Royal Jordanian
23 September 1983: Gulf Air Flight 771 was a flight from Karachi, Pakistan to Qatar via Abu Dhabi. While the Boeing 737-200 was on approach to Abu Dhabi International Airport, a bomb exploded in the baggage compartment. The aircraft crashed in the desert near Mina Jebel Ali between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE.
All seven crew members and 105 passengers died. Most of the fatalities were Pakistani nationals, many returning to jobs in the Gulf after spending the Eid ul-Adha holiday with their families in Pakistan. The bomb was apparently planted by the Abu Nidal Organization, to pressure the Gulf States to pay protection money to Nidal so as to avoid attacks on their soil.
23 August 2000: Gulf Air Flight 072 crashed into the Persian Gulf on approach to Bahrain International Airport from Cairo. The Airbus A320, with 143 passengers and crew on board, approached the landing at higher speeds than normal, and carried out an unusual low altitude orbit in an attempt to correct the approach.
The orbit was unsuccessful and a go-around was attempted. While carrying out a turning climb the aircraft entered a descent at 15 degrees nose down. The aircrew did not respond to repeated GPWS warnings and approximately one minute after starting the go-around the aircraft disappeared from radar screens.
All 143 passengers and crew, including 36 children, were killed in the accident.The accident investigation concluded that the primary cause of the crash was pilot error,including spatial disorientation, with a secondary factor being systemic organizational and oversight issues.
Flight 072 was the highest death toll of any accident involving an Airbus A320 at that time. It was subsequently surpassed by TAM Airlines Flight 3054, which crashed on 17 July 2007 with 199 fatalities.
On 29 August 2011: Gulf Air Flight 270, using an Airbus A320-214, from Bahrain to Cochin carrying 143 people, skidded off the runway on landing due to pilot error of loss of situational awareness during reduced visibility conditions. The weather was poor with heavy rain and strong winds. The aircraft was badly damaged with nose gear collapsed and seven passengers were injured. Some people were reported to have jumped from an emergency exit when the evacuation slide failed to deploy.
Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com
Sunday, 9 April 2017
SUDAN: Saudia Airlines Now Flying To Port Sudan
Saudia Airlines on April 6 launched regular direct flights from Jeddah to Port Sudan in Sudan. Port Sudan marks the carrier’s second new route for 2017. The first flight between two cities is carried on an A320 aircraft with a capacity of 132 seats.
The plane landed Port Sudan International Airport at 16.20 local time and welcomed with a water cannon salute followed by a reception at the airport.
The first flight between Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Sudan was started with the first flight of Saudi Airlines from Jeddah to Port Sudan in 1947 with 27 passengers and one weekly flight.
Today, Saudi Airlines flies 16 weekly flights from Khartoum to Jeddah and 10 weekly flights from Khartoum to Riyadh, and according to the operational results, more than 562 thousand guests traveled between the Kingdom and Khartoum during the year 2016 and the carrier is expected to carry 712 thousand passengers in 2017.
Meanwhile, Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and Citi Bahrain announced the launch of a promotional campaign that will allow Citi Credit Cardholders to purchase Gulf Air tickets/services with 0% interest installment plans.
Under the agreement, Gulf Air will offer all Citi Credit Cardholders the opportunity to pay for any ticket transaction in installments that can be paid over either a 3 or 6 month plan without accruing any interest. The ‘Fly Now, Pay Later’ campaign will end 31st August 2015.
Commenting on the campaign Gulf Air Acting Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Ahmed Janahi said: “We are pleased to give Citi Credit Cardholders the opportunity to enjoy the Gulf Air experience in a manner that is convenient to the end user.
This is in line with our commitment, as Bahrain’s national carrier, to delivering excellence to our passengers by enhancing a broad spectrum of deliverables from our convenient flight schedules, multiple daily regional flights and variety of products and services both on the ground and onboard.”
Navneet Kampani – Director, Country Business Manager for Citi Bahrain commented: “Partnering with Gulf Air for this campaign is further facilitating travel and making it a more attractive proposition to Citi Credit Cardholders. We are delighted to tailor this campaign to our customers’ needs with the support of Bahrain’s national carrier.”
The plane landed Port Sudan International Airport at 16.20 local time and welcomed with a water cannon salute followed by a reception at the airport.
The first flight between Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Sudan was started with the first flight of Saudi Airlines from Jeddah to Port Sudan in 1947 with 27 passengers and one weekly flight.
Today, Saudi Airlines flies 16 weekly flights from Khartoum to Jeddah and 10 weekly flights from Khartoum to Riyadh, and according to the operational results, more than 562 thousand guests traveled between the Kingdom and Khartoum during the year 2016 and the carrier is expected to carry 712 thousand passengers in 2017.
Meanwhile, Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and Citi Bahrain announced the launch of a promotional campaign that will allow Citi Credit Cardholders to purchase Gulf Air tickets/services with 0% interest installment plans.
Under the agreement, Gulf Air will offer all Citi Credit Cardholders the opportunity to pay for any ticket transaction in installments that can be paid over either a 3 or 6 month plan without accruing any interest. The ‘Fly Now, Pay Later’ campaign will end 31st August 2015.
Commenting on the campaign Gulf Air Acting Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Ahmed Janahi said: “We are pleased to give Citi Credit Cardholders the opportunity to enjoy the Gulf Air experience in a manner that is convenient to the end user.
This is in line with our commitment, as Bahrain’s national carrier, to delivering excellence to our passengers by enhancing a broad spectrum of deliverables from our convenient flight schedules, multiple daily regional flights and variety of products and services both on the ground and onboard.”
Navneet Kampani – Director, Country Business Manager for Citi Bahrain commented: “Partnering with Gulf Air for this campaign is further facilitating travel and making it a more attractive proposition to Citi Credit Cardholders. We are delighted to tailor this campaign to our customers’ needs with the support of Bahrain’s national carrier.”
Friday, 15 January 2016
BAHRAIN: 2015 Bahrain Received Over 10 Million Visitors
The Kingdom of Bahrain received more than 10 million tourists last year, according to Bahrain Authority for Tourism and Exhibitions (BATE)’s Acting CEO, Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa.
The Government of Bahrain, represented in the Directorate of Tourism, has put in huge efforts culminating in the selection of Manama as the Gulf Capital for Tourism2016, Shaikh Khalid told Akhbar Al Khaleej daily on Wednesday adding that ‘we have succeeded in the allocation of a budget for this important event.
The Kingdom is looking forward to an annual increase of approximately 8% in tourist arrivals this year.
The Directorate of Tourism, assisted with specialists, had conducted a study to glean the wishes of Arab Gulf tourists, incoming to Bahrain and to find out about their interests. In the activities, it was observed that they coincided with the holiday season in the Gulf states – especially in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar.
The survey has shown that the Gulf tourist prefers staying in apartments by 34% in contrast with 26% for rooms.
This led the Directorate to encourage more investments in hotel apartments, for the purpose of filling the gap in this sector, he added.
The Directorate of Tourism has also inked agreements to hold numerous family entertainment activities, to attract more tourists from the Arab Gulf states.
The Government of Bahrain, represented in the Directorate of Tourism, has put in huge efforts culminating in the selection of Manama as the Gulf Capital for Tourism2016, Shaikh Khalid told Akhbar Al Khaleej daily on Wednesday adding that ‘we have succeeded in the allocation of a budget for this important event.
The Kingdom is looking forward to an annual increase of approximately 8% in tourist arrivals this year.
The Directorate of Tourism, assisted with specialists, had conducted a study to glean the wishes of Arab Gulf tourists, incoming to Bahrain and to find out about their interests. In the activities, it was observed that they coincided with the holiday season in the Gulf states – especially in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar.
The survey has shown that the Gulf tourist prefers staying in apartments by 34% in contrast with 26% for rooms.
This led the Directorate to encourage more investments in hotel apartments, for the purpose of filling the gap in this sector, he added.
The Directorate of Tourism has also inked agreements to hold numerous family entertainment activities, to attract more tourists from the Arab Gulf states.
Tuesday, 17 November 2015
UAE: Gulf Air to Paris and Beyond
Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an airline renowned for its time long spirit of innovation – reflected in its constantly evolving product offering and efforts taken to develop innovative new elements to win customers. It has always recognized the importance of seamless connectivity, convenient flight schedules and excellent products and services to enhance the customer flight experience and ensure greater customer satisfaction.
For the fourth consecutive year, Gulf Air has taken travel to another level, encompassing both air and rail travel in one of Europe’s most beautiful countries, France. Travellers can enjoy the scenery as they cruise through the plains of 20 different destinations through the airline’s alliance with France’s national railway network SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français). Vacationers have the option to not only explore Paris and walk the Champs-Élysées, but visit Marseille, the 2013 European Capital of Culture or study the intricate structure of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame in Strasbourg among the many attractions the country offers.
With five flights a week through its efficient hub in Bahrain, Gulf Air operates its new A320-Extended Range (ER) aircraft to the French capital, Paris. The premium class- Falcon Gold seat converts into a fully-flat bed measuring 1.90 meters in length guaranteeing a comfortable night’s sleep; complete with Audio-Video on Demand (AVOD) features, an individual 15-inch touch screen in every seat and high quality noise cancelling headphones.
The Economy Class seats offer passengers the very latest in comfort and technology. Featuring a 4-inch recline, an 18-inch seat-width and an adjustable head and foot rest allowing greater passenger comfort, the seats are fitted with 9-inch seat back TV monitors that are ideal for enjoying the extensive in-flight entertainment options.
In the last three years, Gulf Air has embarked on an aggressive and proactive re-fleeting and product enhancement strategy. Today the airline’s fleet is one of the youngest in the region with an average age of 1.01 years, with pioneering services such as the award winning Sky Nanny and Sky Chef on-board. In addition, the airline’s fully renovated Falcon Gold lounges at Bahrain International Airport and Dubai International Airport offer a wide range of facilities and amenities for passengers to relax or conduct their business.
Recognized among top ten airlines in the world for its on time flight punctuality, Gulf Air continues to excel in offering customers the best of its products and services.
France: Shopping, Art & More
France as a destination has appealed to all visitors alike. There is so much more to the destination beyond Paris. Several cities within France have in the past years tapped into the Middle East potential. Destinations such as Lyon recently showcased their key offering looking to build on the new Emirates connection. For visitors, travelling on the well-connected Gulf Air flights, there is much to look forward to in the coming months.
The Marvellous Island Festival in Paris is a five-day festival on music. The event is open to all electronics music lovers. The event will witness participation from over 130 artists, producers, and live performers. For ski-enthusiast, one can explore the ski resort Megeve which is located in the Rhône-Alpes region. The ski-resort is a perfect fairytale setting with wooden and stone buildings with gabled slate roofs, gardens and balconies covered in flowers in summer or a billowy snow cloak in winter, hiking trails in the forest, and bell towers.
Megève, like few other high-mountain destinations, offers an array of activities that are best enjoyed from the air. In addition to flying over glaciers in a small plane, it is also possible to hire personalized helicopter excursions. The next destination being highlighted for 2013 is the Marseille-Provence. During the whole year, the region will host over 400 cultural events, bringing together the top artists in Europe and the Mediterranean. Events will include exhibitions, spectacles, concerts, parades, festivals, food tastings and more will be hosted to represent culture in all its different forms. Overall, the aim is to highlight young talented artists from Europe and the Mediterranean.
Moving on from culture to art, tourist visiting the country will be enthralled with the new Louvre, called the Louvre-Lens. The new Louvre located in northern France offers free admission to public for a year. The museum consists of five buildings, including four rectangular buildings with one large square building in the center, mirroring the design of the Paris Louvre with its two outstretched wings.
Located in the heart of Lens, a former coal mining center in the most northern area of France called the Nord-Pas de Calais, the museum is just an hour and ten minutes from Paris by high-speed train, right between the cities of Lille and Arras. The Louvre-Lens boasts three main galleries: the Galerie du Temps, le Pavillon de Verre and La Galerie d’Exposition Temporaire. This museum is also unique in that it gives a behind-the-scenes view of the inner-workings of the museum by allowing the public to see into its storerooms and restoration rooms. With the kind of investments into the project, the museum hopes to attract an average of 500,000 visitors per year.
For the fourth consecutive year, Gulf Air has taken travel to another level, encompassing both air and rail travel in one of Europe’s most beautiful countries, France. Travellers can enjoy the scenery as they cruise through the plains of 20 different destinations through the airline’s alliance with France’s national railway network SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français). Vacationers have the option to not only explore Paris and walk the Champs-Élysées, but visit Marseille, the 2013 European Capital of Culture or study the intricate structure of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame in Strasbourg among the many attractions the country offers.
With five flights a week through its efficient hub in Bahrain, Gulf Air operates its new A320-Extended Range (ER) aircraft to the French capital, Paris. The premium class- Falcon Gold seat converts into a fully-flat bed measuring 1.90 meters in length guaranteeing a comfortable night’s sleep; complete with Audio-Video on Demand (AVOD) features, an individual 15-inch touch screen in every seat and high quality noise cancelling headphones.
The Economy Class seats offer passengers the very latest in comfort and technology. Featuring a 4-inch recline, an 18-inch seat-width and an adjustable head and foot rest allowing greater passenger comfort, the seats are fitted with 9-inch seat back TV monitors that are ideal for enjoying the extensive in-flight entertainment options.
In the last three years, Gulf Air has embarked on an aggressive and proactive re-fleeting and product enhancement strategy. Today the airline’s fleet is one of the youngest in the region with an average age of 1.01 years, with pioneering services such as the award winning Sky Nanny and Sky Chef on-board. In addition, the airline’s fully renovated Falcon Gold lounges at Bahrain International Airport and Dubai International Airport offer a wide range of facilities and amenities for passengers to relax or conduct their business.
Recognized among top ten airlines in the world for its on time flight punctuality, Gulf Air continues to excel in offering customers the best of its products and services.
France: Shopping, Art & More
France as a destination has appealed to all visitors alike. There is so much more to the destination beyond Paris. Several cities within France have in the past years tapped into the Middle East potential. Destinations such as Lyon recently showcased their key offering looking to build on the new Emirates connection. For visitors, travelling on the well-connected Gulf Air flights, there is much to look forward to in the coming months.
The Marvellous Island Festival in Paris is a five-day festival on music. The event is open to all electronics music lovers. The event will witness participation from over 130 artists, producers, and live performers. For ski-enthusiast, one can explore the ski resort Megeve which is located in the Rhône-Alpes region. The ski-resort is a perfect fairytale setting with wooden and stone buildings with gabled slate roofs, gardens and balconies covered in flowers in summer or a billowy snow cloak in winter, hiking trails in the forest, and bell towers.
Megève, like few other high-mountain destinations, offers an array of activities that are best enjoyed from the air. In addition to flying over glaciers in a small plane, it is also possible to hire personalized helicopter excursions. The next destination being highlighted for 2013 is the Marseille-Provence. During the whole year, the region will host over 400 cultural events, bringing together the top artists in Europe and the Mediterranean. Events will include exhibitions, spectacles, concerts, parades, festivals, food tastings and more will be hosted to represent culture in all its different forms. Overall, the aim is to highlight young talented artists from Europe and the Mediterranean.
Moving on from culture to art, tourist visiting the country will be enthralled with the new Louvre, called the Louvre-Lens. The new Louvre located in northern France offers free admission to public for a year. The museum consists of five buildings, including four rectangular buildings with one large square building in the center, mirroring the design of the Paris Louvre with its two outstretched wings.
Located in the heart of Lens, a former coal mining center in the most northern area of France called the Nord-Pas de Calais, the museum is just an hour and ten minutes from Paris by high-speed train, right between the cities of Lille and Arras. The Louvre-Lens boasts three main galleries: the Galerie du Temps, le Pavillon de Verre and La Galerie d’Exposition Temporaire. This museum is also unique in that it gives a behind-the-scenes view of the inner-workings of the museum by allowing the public to see into its storerooms and restoration rooms. With the kind of investments into the project, the museum hopes to attract an average of 500,000 visitors per year.
Monday, 16 November 2015
SAUDI ARABIA: Promoting Tourism In EP
A few days ago, an important and interesting convention was held in Dammam. The convention was about the role of conventions and exhibitions in developing trade and industry in the Eastern Province (EP).
The forum was held under the patronage of EP Gov. Prince Saud bin Naif and Prince Sultan bin Salman, president and chairman of the Board of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH).
Male and female members of the business community from all across the Kingdom attended the event to hear and see the many ways to promote an industry.
Holding exhibitions and conventions in the Kingdom and especially in the Eastern Province will have many benefits for the Kingdom and these benefits are not only economical, but also boost Kingdom’s global image and to educate people about the latest developments in their respective areas of interest.
The Eastern Province is one of the 13 provinces of the Kingdom and covers almost one-third of the total area of Saudi Arabia. It is as large as the US state of Texas with a population of more than four million. And most important is that the Eastern Province has a lot to offer when it comes to the tourism sector because of its beautiful beaches, historical sites and industrial complexes.
Many areas in the Eastern Province are of huge historical and archeological importance. Many of the sites date back to thousands of years. More than 3,000 years ago, the area became one of the most important parts of the world at the time when it connected many civilizations and connected the East to the West.
The area is a witness to the old ways of connecting people together when Dilmun civilization was in parallel with Mesopotamia. And the area saw many historical events such as the overtaking of the Sumerians by the Akkadians in 1792 BC. And in the modern days of Saudi Arabia, the Eastern Province played a very big role in transforming the Kingdom into a modern state due to the discovery of oil.
Places and cities like Al-Ahsa, Jubail, Qatif, and Dhahran can become huge economic and industrial tourist attractions. There are miles of green areas with beautiful palm trees in Al-Ahasa or Qatif and there are the most beautiful beaches on the Arabian Gulf Shores. And one should not forget the huge industrial plants in Ras Tanurah and Jubail. In other words, tourism in the Eastern Province if utilized can be both well time spent and very educational.
The Eastern Province is situated close to all the Gulf States. The province stretches from north to south touching Kuwait and Sultanate of Oman and it is also connected with the Kingdom of Bahrain by a modern causeway. This unique geographical location gives it an edge over many other Saudi provinces.
It is important to promote conventions and international exhibitions in the Eastern Province.
The authorities should make efforts to promote such events by streamlining visa procedures so that foreign delegates can obtain visas without difficulty. It is in the interest of the Kingdom.
The forum was held under the patronage of EP Gov. Prince Saud bin Naif and Prince Sultan bin Salman, president and chairman of the Board of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH).
Male and female members of the business community from all across the Kingdom attended the event to hear and see the many ways to promote an industry.
Holding exhibitions and conventions in the Kingdom and especially in the Eastern Province will have many benefits for the Kingdom and these benefits are not only economical, but also boost Kingdom’s global image and to educate people about the latest developments in their respective areas of interest.
The Eastern Province is one of the 13 provinces of the Kingdom and covers almost one-third of the total area of Saudi Arabia. It is as large as the US state of Texas with a population of more than four million. And most important is that the Eastern Province has a lot to offer when it comes to the tourism sector because of its beautiful beaches, historical sites and industrial complexes.
Many areas in the Eastern Province are of huge historical and archeological importance. Many of the sites date back to thousands of years. More than 3,000 years ago, the area became one of the most important parts of the world at the time when it connected many civilizations and connected the East to the West.
The area is a witness to the old ways of connecting people together when Dilmun civilization was in parallel with Mesopotamia. And the area saw many historical events such as the overtaking of the Sumerians by the Akkadians in 1792 BC. And in the modern days of Saudi Arabia, the Eastern Province played a very big role in transforming the Kingdom into a modern state due to the discovery of oil.
Places and cities like Al-Ahsa, Jubail, Qatif, and Dhahran can become huge economic and industrial tourist attractions. There are miles of green areas with beautiful palm trees in Al-Ahasa or Qatif and there are the most beautiful beaches on the Arabian Gulf Shores. And one should not forget the huge industrial plants in Ras Tanurah and Jubail. In other words, tourism in the Eastern Province if utilized can be both well time spent and very educational.
The Eastern Province is situated close to all the Gulf States. The province stretches from north to south touching Kuwait and Sultanate of Oman and it is also connected with the Kingdom of Bahrain by a modern causeway. This unique geographical location gives it an edge over many other Saudi provinces.
It is important to promote conventions and international exhibitions in the Eastern Province.
The authorities should make efforts to promote such events by streamlining visa procedures so that foreign delegates can obtain visas without difficulty. It is in the interest of the Kingdom.
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