Gulf Air's issues right now ...
PCE. Will they give Mr Naf the job? Will anyone else take it? Not if the board continues to interfere. No top flight Chief Exec will work in an environment where all decisions have to be endorsed by the board. Mr Naf appears to have limited interest in the commercial side of the operation and leaves that to the Acting VP. If he is competent, no problem, but does Mr Naf even have a grasp of the commercial aspects of a major passenger airline?
The Board. Needs to stop interfering. The voluntary severance scheme fiasco was an example of their stupidity. A company needs to be run by its Chief Exec, not the Board. If they do not have confidence in Mr Naf then they should try to find a replacement.
Bahrainisation. There are good Bahraini managers and bad and lazy ones. A proper staff appraisal system is needed to root out the incompetent ones ... and incompetent expats.
In flight. As a regular flyer I agree with the earlier post about too many Bahraini male cabin staff. Business travellers want attractive looking cabin staff (preferably female) to serve them. Look at the success of Virgin and the Singapore Girls.
Human Resources. All my contacts in the company tell me that the department is a disaster. It needs a complete overhaul, not just walls in the de[artment pulled down and a monthly newsletter. Basics like procedures which are understood by everyone and followed within the department.
Technical problems. Is it just a run of bad luck recently? I certainly hope so. I have experienced far too many delays and cancellations in the past few weeks and a look at the departure board indicates that I am not the only one.
Morale. That rumoured new aircraft order would do much to lift the morale of staff .... and passengers. And is the existing fleet to have a complete interior refurbishment in the meantime? If so, more positive news.
Is the worst over for GF? Can the airline have another year as bad as 2007? Maybe there is a silver lining to that black cloud that has been hovering over the Pink Palace?