Latest news has it that the mid-management led “buy-out” clique at Kuwait Airways may have done a bit TOO GOOD a job at dragging down productivity. Since the sale of the 747-200s to ALAFCO last month and the sacking of half the 747 crews, no new contracts have been considered for those venerable beasties. Perhaps that makes sense when you consider current bosses.
A “Plum” deal, charter for Air Pacific, apparently was “still-born” due to mid-management’s reluctance to allow the Jumbo’s to make any money for the severely ailing Kuwaiti national airline. This, an obvious, if misguided ploy, to drive down productivity and revenues prior to their, “the clique’s”, engineered “buy-out” when KAC goes private sometime later this year.
My sources tell me that the birds are still flying but “just”. They’re still bailing the Airbus fleet(s) out for the time being. KWI-DXB-KWI is hardly a Jumbo load now is it?
From the wrench turner’s, we hear of exceptionally low morale on the shop floor, at not being allowed to do their jobs properly….in both the Boeing AND Airbus sides of the house. Perhaps the Safety Gestapo of the Kuwaiti DGCA should take a very close look at this aspect.
KAC can’t afford a mishap, or worse, a crash, just because a few gents with “Wasta” want to buy the airline on the cheap. The new DD Ops would be a good one to interview, for a start.
