What s the future of Gulf Air?

[chrispatrickGA]

:ooh: You may say I am pessimistic but since the CEO , should I say the former CEO (it has been confirmed,is going to start with Etihad in a few days)a lot of bad infos are circulating in the GF offices...
First we all know that the company has sold most of its assets , JH is leaving and taking most of his team with him to EY.
Some said the vice-president AA should go with him and still GF didn t make any decision about the successor of JH.
Once again it seems we are goingto spend time without knowing anything , with a CEO by interim:sad: a long interim...means stagnation and silence!!
Still no planes coming, no liquidities...what s the future?
:( all the updates to the left seat delayed : the number of guys having passed their assessment is growing and they are still F/O on long haul...
The A320 sector is just a real plea but the company is still recruiting direct A330 f/os...
Ough!!! Anybody on that boat has still a parcel of logic or are we just waiting to sink?:yuk: :yuk:
Last thing : if you discuss about it with an experienced captain he would tell you not to worry since GF went already through many turbulences in the past...
Yes but nowadays we definetely need a lot of money to renew planes , to pay the fuel....
The warnings are all red and the captain just left the plane:eek:

[boeingdriverx]

hey chris,

I share some of your concern about Gulf Airs future. The competition is getting tougher: Qatar Airways will carry more passenger this year than GF... No need to say that they are dumping prices and get almost unlimited financial support ! GF has to react quickly!

I don't like to see the PCE leaving either, this will weaken the management and as a consequence will weaken employees commitment to the airline. At least with JH we had a vague idea about our goals. How long is it going to be before Etihad gets some SkyChefs and SkyNannys ? I would be interested to know if these marketing ideas have been 'copyrighted' ? By the way if JH is really going for Etihad, how is it possible that on his contract he didn't have a 'competition clause' i.e. ' PCE should not join any airline in the middle east region at least for 1 year after his resignation from GF' ?

Hopefully that british guy will come soon and establish a strong leadership... To be honest I even dont care who is coming, I just want him to be good for the company!

On the other hand I think, it is not an option for the Bahrain government to even think to close the airline. Think about it: the rate of unemployment will skyrocket! Gulf Air has no option but to GROW. As I wrote before competition is getting tougher. One way to achieve it would be to get some 'private investor' taking a share in the airline, that could be good and bring some fresh money. Did I say Saudi investor ? Why not. The saudi sky is not a monopole anymore in the hand of one state-owned airline, GF could in a way become one of the player in the saudi market...

I dont like also the ambiguous position of our co-owner the beautiful Sultanate of Oman. Oman Air was looking at buying long haul airplanes, how long is it going to take before they cancel their commitment in Gulf Air ? Maybe they will wait until we build that Million Dollar maintenance facility ? and then the story will repeat itself? did I mention GAMCO here?

Cheers
BD

[jackbauer]

Last year GF carried 8 million pax and QR carried just under 3 million. If QR are going to carry more this year they must have the 380 in the air already!!

[bird dog]

Can anyone share optimistic view about GFs future?

- Loss in first half of 2006. Is there any crazy new CEO to sign the last third loss? For what? to put in his CV?Why not wait for the next fiscal year?

- No new planes at all. No slots available within the manufactures lines. Credibility in doubt as we have been trying to negociate replacements for the 767s in the last year.

- 767s leasing finishing. No money to keep the planes.Downsizing?

- Tough competition.

Can anybody give me arguments to be optimistic PLEASE?

[Panama Jack]

As someone who has gone through the emotionally wrenching experience of a furlough and a major airline bankruptcy restructuring (after being willing to bet every last centavo that the airline was as good as history) I greet this news with some concern, but not too much worry.

It is not that I am apathetic. I just don't see any point of panicking right now. Sure, it is Ramadan and instead of heading out to BJ's or JJ's on your next evening off take the opportunity to update your resume but . . .

Who realistically expected James Hogan to stay around forever? These management types typically come in, do some trouble-shooting and then move on to new projects. Gulf Air is arguebly in better shape now since Hogan did some transformations than before he came, although I guess one could start a bar fight with that comment. :ouch:

The way I understand it, some $800 million is there for a fleet renewal, just a question of when they announce it. The fleet is run efficiently-- not too many 3 hour ground times or dark and cold airplanes sitting around on remote stands at night. We constantly rate highly amongst travellers and receive industry awards. We have a lot of the right elements in place, the problem, is that we compete against airlines that are not efficient but heavily subsidized.

However, there is no "winning" in airline competition like winning on a battlefield. The objective is to consistantly perform well and make money at the end of the day. A number of curve-balls have been thrown GF's way in the last few years but the essentials, I believe, are there (at least I don't think they other GCC carriers have something that we don't).

If that isn't all something to be be optimistic about, consider this. Under the current environment, each country in the GCC seems to want to have it's carrier. Even if the airline were to be downsized (not likely, IMHO) it will always be around. GF's focus on being independent and running like a real corporation (being profitable) only makes it easier for the powerful interests that want an airline in their back yard that be to continue to support us because we are not as much of a drain on the national treasury. If it takes from time a little puff from government to keep the sailboat going down the stream, so be it.

I really do not believe I will be furloughed or looking at GF in bankruptcy protection anytime soon. That alone is something to be optimistic about.

Finally, why worry about something that we have no control over? Hogan has just left, and I hear we should have new leadership by November or December. So lets see what happens with that before starting to worry too much.

[Gobble]

Gulff air is the way to be with the leadership inspiring and the future coming to us and you and me on the doorstoep we canot proced in the backward way of the partner airlines in the golf region,
i and you my colleges wil embrace what is before us and strive to help the company in the way it is prosseding. we are moving to the way of future, dont be scared, there is lots of talk and worry about wot is to become. the future is a clear one for the bahrain inhabtants so dont worry. we are the nest and into the futur with a brighte torch we will lead the golf states. my prediction, in ten years gf will be one of very few remaining major cariers.
I have heard there is lots of upgrades and transffers to llok forward too.
i wish my coleges the very best there is to.
dont worry.

Gobble
:E

[scanscanscan]

Gobble....You got management style.....and my vote for the new Gf President.

[neilb767]

Gobble,

I dont mean to bite the hand that feeds me ..but I think someone has spiked that gold kool-aid you're drinking ......:eek:

[ironbutt57]

Think he has the same speechwriter as George Bush:cool:

[Dominus vobiscum]

As for the topic...well it may be Ramadan and the low season in the Gulf but there is low and low......Came back from LHR with 66 pax...and went there with 45 pax!!!!! Many flights cancelled due to lack of pax ( Bangkok-Paris ) SO....Where is that all going ? you tell me....On the 320 we keep having last minute changes and destination like never before. Not to be negative but It's time something comes up our way!!! Feels loke we are a very low cost airline:ooh:
IB let's crack a few cold ones one day and tell me how you cope with all this...

[ironbutt57]

It's disheartening sometimes to see the operational snafu's etc...etc...just do the best I can at work, then leave it behind when I drive out the gate...several colleagues have headed out to "greener"pastures if it works for them..then good for them...here I have a lifestyle and activities I rather enjoy...I sit in the pointy end of an airplane to support that life... it is hard to find this lifestyle other places...so what I'm saying is I work to live, not the other way 'round I'd rather have a shiny lifestyle ,than a shiny airplane with no life...time is on our side...just wait and see.. looks like the workplace will be shinier as well in due time...and yes to the "tinnies" mate...anytime sit on the boat (my escape) and watch the sun go down...

[boeingdriverx]

look at that, who have thought that ironbutt, will become a poet ! :}

That is what GF is doing to its pilots!

[LDG NO BLUE]

Hey there,

I think we have to be a bit more patient and wait until the transition phase is completed.
I don't want to draw a conclusion and make decisions based on the present chaos that reigns right now.

One thing to mention is that our a/HOFO became HOFO. Altough I disagree with some of his policies, (read DEFOs and DECs) I guess we're better off then with somebody else.

LNB

[ironbutt57]

Hey I am a poet! waddaya know!!! Not too sure a "policy" exists so to speak on the DEC issue..many if not most hired on the 767 since i joined have left..upgrades are in full swing on our fleet with 2 x-340767 fo's now online and two more in the pipeline..and 4 767 fo's completed the assessment and starting trng this month cant comment on the defo's on the widebody airbus fleet...this is common at many many airlines worldwide..EK on the other hand appear to have a clear policy n employing DEC's wanna run away down there and join?? After 3 years you are ELIGIBLE for command consideration, not necessarily given the nod...read the many many posts from that mob and think carefully.....it's never boring:ok:

[JoeJack]

Although not being happy with the practice, have to agree with IB57 that lately DECs have come more on a fire-fighting basis rather than a policy.
Newly appointed HOFO seems to be a good man and personally I give him credit.
New B767 CP also on the 1st. floor. Maybe some new ideas??
Let's wait and see what the new PCE brings inside his bag... definitely he won't need to think about a new paintscheme, isn't it??

Safe Flights!!:ok:
JJ