Gulf Air and Saudi Arabian Airlines signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for an agreement under which the carriers will operate code share services between Dammam and the Nepalese capital, Katmandu, Dammam and Abu Dhabi and between Riyadh and Muscat, starting mid-July 2003.
“Gulf Air is honored to be selected as the first Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) carrier to be allowed to operate direct international flights out of an airport in Saudi Arabia,” said James Hogan, Gulf Air’s president and chief executive.
“The agreement to operate to Katmandu, provides the basis of what we hope will be a long positive association, and we hope to extend our cooperation to other commercial operations where bilateral agreements permit,” he said.
The twice-weekly flights out of Dammam through Abu Dhabi to Katmandu are to be operated by B767 using a single flight number under GF/SV call sign. Passengers will be allowed to check all the way through along with baggage without changing the aircraft or breaking the journey to Katmandu.
Gulf Air and Saudi Arabian Airlines will also be able to sell on each other reservation systems direct services in terms of the code share arrangement between Muscat and Riyadh and between Dammam and Abu Dhabi International Airports.
This arrangement will also allow Saudi and Gulf Air customers direct access to those two Gulf cities and up grade flight displays at both reservation systems. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
