New A/C for the goldan falcon

[FADAC]

Gulf Air plans to expand its fleet to between 45 and 50 aircraft over the next 10 to 15 years in a strategy designed to make it the region's carrier of choice.
It will rebuild its fleet with new aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus, having previously favoured the European aircraft maker for its fleet.
Gulf Air chairman of the board of directors Mahmood Al Kooheji, made the announcement at a meeting held after the opening of the Worldwide Airlines Customer Relations Association Conference at the Gulf International Convention Centre.
He said that the airline already had its strategy in place but it had decided the way forward at two board meetings before Eid.
He revealed that Boeing was back in favour and the carrier had already decided to lease two new Boeing 737s.
The airline is also expected to place orders worth BD350 million for new wide bodied jets as part of a 10-year upgrade of its fleet at next month's Dubai 2007 airshow.
"We have made all the changes we need to make. Now we look to the future, he said.
"We will review the whole fleet and will equip with the right aircraft for our customers.
"What we are deciding now will be the strategy for the next 10 to 15 years.
"We are talking to both Boeing and Airbus. We do not want to be constrained by choosing just one aircraft builder."
The company currently has 36 aircraft and operate 28 on scheduled flights and use the others as back up when flights fail to connect on time. The current fleet has an average age of about 12 years.
Commenting on the move to have both Boeing and Airbus in the new fleet, Mr Al Kooheji said: "If you go to a car showroom and see a better car that the one you came to see you are going to go for that.
"It will be the same when we are buying aircraft. We will encourage competition between the aircraft builders."
He said that on an average, more than 80 per cent of flights were on time and recently it hit 92pc.
Gulf Air has also dramatically reduced the number of cancellations that used to dog its services.