Gulf Air, the national airline Kingdom of Bahrain, the UAE, and the Sultanate of Oman, is set to significantly build the depth of its route network with a significant increase in flight frequencies over the next three years. A measured expansion of the network is also planned with some strategic destinations being added over the duration of the three-year recovery plan.

Mr Fareed Al Alawi, Gulf Air Vice President, Networks told more than 200 delegates from the airline’s 50 plus worldwide offices who are attending the Annual Marketing, Sales and Services Conference at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Bahrain, that Alexandria, Athens, Johannesburg, Salalah and Sydney are being evaluated to be part of the Summer Schedule (from 1 June 2003), while other destinations in Africa, Asia and the America’s are under consideration for future years.

Our philosophy regarding network development is quite simple, he told delegates.  It is to get our customers safely and reliably where they want to go, when they need to be there. Our customers have told us that frequency is important to them and that these added destinations are where they want to go. Furthermore, our evaluations tell us that these changes to our network are all commercially viable growth options for Gulf Air.

“Our increase in frequencies to a minimum of daily flights is based on providing the customer with increased choice, and is best demonstrated with the high frequency of flights between our owner state home bases.”

Mr Al Alawi added that providing higher frequencies between our owner state home bases, with high connectivity to all major Middle East cities, was a major priority for Gulf Air.

Gulf Air was founded in 1950. Today, it is owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain, Oman and the UAE, and is the only truly pan Gulf airline in the region. The airline’s network stretches from Europe to Asia and covers 43 cities in 32 countries. The fleet is one of the most modern in the Middle East and comprises 30 aircraft.

The airline is in the first year of a three-year strategic recovery programme, headed by President & Chief Executive, James Hogan. The airline’s aim is to further evolve by taking its renowned cultural strengths, which have been gained over more than half a century, into a global environment.

Gulf Air is also intent on ‘going the extra mile’ for its customers. It has subsequently made a concerted effort to focus on efficiency, to eliminate bureaucracy and implement processes that are required, above all, to improve customer satisfaction.   

——-