Responding to the expanding customer base and huge demand for premium class from Kuwaiti business community, Gulf Air is all set to increase its flights between Bahrain and Kuwait.
Beginning 14 December, Gulf Air will operate four daily flights to and from Kuwait making it a total of 28 flights per week from its present 21 flights per week.
Gulf Air has also started operating three direct, non-stop flights per week between Kuwait and Muscat from the beginning of this month. With 14 code-shared flights with Oman Air, a total of 17 flights per week are now available for passengers travelling between Kuwait and Muscat.
"As the airline with the biggest network in the Middle East, Gulf Air is committed to provide better connections and more non-stop flight choices to its customers," says Gulf Air Vice President Network Fareed Al Alawi.
"Our Kuwait customers travelling beyond Bahrain and Muscat now have more choices of onward connections to Europe and other continents with shorter flight-connecting time."
In May 2006, Gulf Air increased its services from Bahrain to Kuwait from 17 flights to 21 flights per week. Within six months the airline had to press in seven more flights to meet the increasing passenger growth.
"We are witnessing a steady growth since the past year from our customers, particularly from the large base of businessmen, who prefer to travel in Business class during weekdays on business and the GCC families on shopping trips over weekends,” adds Gulf Air General Manager Kuwait Houssam Weiss.
“Our Muscat flights were introduced to serve the increasing number of tourists to Oman and passengers travelling onward to Southern India and South East Asia. We have seen 16.5 per cent increase in between Kuwait and Muscat.”
In another major step forward towards enhanced services, Gulf Air’s Worldwide Contact Centre (WWCC), located in Muscat, has linked Kuwait to its network. From now on, Gulf Air customers from Kuwait just need to dial a local number 2450180 to contact WWCC and get all their travel requirements fulfilled.
"It is an important breakthrough and a big enhancement to the services we offer to our customers in Kuwait, which is an important and premium traffic producing market," says WWCC Manager Ruth Birkin.
"Our state-of-the-art WWCC already serves 10 countries handling an average of 130,000 calls per month.
"With professionally trained and knowledgeable staff working round the clock, Gulf Air customers can rest assured that their travel plans- be it a business or a holiday trip, booking amendments, or general enquiries, will be attended to by making a local call, at any time."
About Gulf Air
Founded in 1950, Gulf Air, owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Sultanate of Oman, is the only truly Pan Gulf carrier in the Middle East region.
The regional, geographic and cultural values that the airline has embraced over more than half a century are still central to defining its brand and service ethos.
Today the airline’s network stretches from Europe to Asia and covers 50 cities in 30 countries. The fleet comprises 34 aircraft and has the distinct advantage of possessing the strongest network across the Middle East.
A platform for sustained commercial operation has been established over the past three years as part of a multi-phased turnaround programme. It has also provided a framework for a succession of innovative products and services including the unique Sky Chefs and Sky Nannies that form part of Gulf Air’s ’smart airline, successful business’ vision.
International recognition has been achieved as a result of the turnaround programme leading to numerous awards for the airline’s innovative and high quality products and services: These include:
• Best Onboard Catering in First and Business Class (Skytrax World Airline Catering Awards 2005)
• Best designed in-flight magazine (American Creativity Awards,2005)
• Middle East Leading First Class Airline (World Travel Awards 2005)
• World’s Leading Airport Lounge (World Travel Awards 2005)
• Middle East & North African Platinum Best Airline (MENA Travel Awards 2004
• Most Improved Airline (Skytrax Awards 2004)
• Middle East First Class Airline (Arabian Business Awards)
• Best new product launch for in-flight services (PAX international Readership Awards)
• Best First Class Onboard Food (Skytrax Food Category 2004)
• Best Business Class Check-in (Skytrax Check-in Category 2004)
• Middle East region’s best airport restaurant for its restaurant in Bahrain International Airport lounge (PAX International Readership Awards 2005)
