Ian Farquharson
3rd Sep 2004, 16:03
GULF AIR'S ALL-ECONOMY SUBSIDIARY EXPANDS INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
3 Sep,2004
Gulf Traveller to Commence Daily Direct Flights
From Abu Dhabi to Birmingham in 2005
Abu Dhabi, UAE: Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Emirate of Abu
Dhabi, Kingdom of Bahrain and Sultanate of Oman today announced the
expansion of its international network with the introduction of non-stop
flights from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Birmingham International
Airport, commencing early next year.
The new route will be operated by Gulf Traveller, the airline's all-economy
full service subdivision, which operates extensively throughout the Arabian
Gulf region, the Indian Subcontinent and Far East Asia. Since its
establishment in June 2003, the successful division has contributed
significantly to Gulf Air's strengthened financial position and strong
performance.
The addition of the direct flights to Birmingham will further bolster Gulf
Traveller's position, which in the first six months of this year registered
pleasing growth with an average seat factor of 75 per cent.
Flights start on 1 April 2005 and will be operated with a Boeing 767-300ER.
The Abu Dhabi to Birmingham service will commence with four services per
week (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) until 20 June when
frequencies will be increased to a daily operation.
James Hogan, President and Chief Executive at Gulf Air said the new service
is a further illustration of Gulf Air's commitment to provide the best
possible service to its customers.
"We've done our research. The service will offer the shortest elapsed time
between the UK's industrial heartland and Abu Dhabi. The schedule has been
planned to provide improved connections to major Indian Sub-Continent and
Far East Asian destinations, and will therefore meet the travel requirements
of vacationers as well as businessmen in all three centres, enhancing
commercial and leisure travel links. In addition, overseas students
attending universities in the centre of England and the Asian communities in
this region will also benefit," he said.
The addition of the Abu Dhabi to Birmingham service increases Gulf Air's
daily direct flights from the Gulf to the UK to six. Gulf Air currently
operates five daily flights from the Gulf to London Heathrow, and the
addition of the Birmingham service will bring the number of weekly flights
operated by the airline to 41.
James Hogan expects a rapid uptake of this service. "Business and leisure
travellers are looking for every opportunity to fly from Birmingham
International Airport, which avoids the delays usually associated with
journeys to Heathrow, especially from the north of London," he said.
Birmingham International Airport is the UK's second largest airport outside
London, and the UK's fifth largest overall. It is located to the north-west
of the City of Birmingham which lies at the industrial heart of England.
Birmingham is close to popular tourist destinations such as
Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare, and the Cotswolds area
renowned for its beautiful countryside and picture-book English villages. It
is also located close to some of the world's best known industries such as
Jaguar cars and the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Europe's busiest
exhibition centre.
The airport boasts excellent road and rail connections to the rest of the
country. A main line railway station lies adjacent to the airport, which is
located close to motorway connections for the M6 to the North, M5 to the
West and M40 to London.
About Gulf Air
Gulf Air was founded in 1950. Today, it is owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain,
Oman and the UAE and is the only truly pan Gulf carrier in the region. The
airline's network stretches from Europe to Asia and covers more than 50
cities in 32 countries. The fleet is one of the most modern in the Middle
East and comprises 35 aircraft.
The airline is in the second year of a three-year strategic recovery
programme, headed by President and Chief Executive, James Hogan. The airline
's aim is to further evolve by taking its renowned cultural strengths,
technical expertise, modern fleet and professional management team which
have been developed over more than half a century, into a global competitive
environment.
Gulf Air was recognised with the prestigious Airline Turnaround of the Year
Award by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) in 2003 and it was
selected as a one of the leading and most recognised brands in the UAE by
the Superbrands Council. The airline also received the top honour of a
platinum award for being voted the Best Middle East and North Africa Airline
at the 2004 Arabian Travel Market's inaugural MENA Awards. The airline also
was named the winner of the Excellence in Quality Improvement category of
the 2004 Skytrax Airline Excellence Awards, the world's largest survey of
passenger attitudes towards airlines.
3 Sep,2004
Gulf Traveller to Commence Daily Direct Flights
From Abu Dhabi to Birmingham in 2005
Abu Dhabi, UAE: Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Emirate of Abu
Dhabi, Kingdom of Bahrain and Sultanate of Oman today announced the
expansion of its international network with the introduction of non-stop
flights from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Birmingham International
Airport, commencing early next year.
The new route will be operated by Gulf Traveller, the airline's all-economy
full service subdivision, which operates extensively throughout the Arabian
Gulf region, the Indian Subcontinent and Far East Asia. Since its
establishment in June 2003, the successful division has contributed
significantly to Gulf Air's strengthened financial position and strong
performance.
The addition of the direct flights to Birmingham will further bolster Gulf
Traveller's position, which in the first six months of this year registered
pleasing growth with an average seat factor of 75 per cent.
Flights start on 1 April 2005 and will be operated with a Boeing 767-300ER.
The Abu Dhabi to Birmingham service will commence with four services per
week (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) until 20 June when
frequencies will be increased to a daily operation.
James Hogan, President and Chief Executive at Gulf Air said the new service
is a further illustration of Gulf Air's commitment to provide the best
possible service to its customers.
"We've done our research. The service will offer the shortest elapsed time
between the UK's industrial heartland and Abu Dhabi. The schedule has been
planned to provide improved connections to major Indian Sub-Continent and
Far East Asian destinations, and will therefore meet the travel requirements
of vacationers as well as businessmen in all three centres, enhancing
commercial and leisure travel links. In addition, overseas students
attending universities in the centre of England and the Asian communities in
this region will also benefit," he said.
The addition of the Abu Dhabi to Birmingham service increases Gulf Air's
daily direct flights from the Gulf to the UK to six. Gulf Air currently
operates five daily flights from the Gulf to London Heathrow, and the
addition of the Birmingham service will bring the number of weekly flights
operated by the airline to 41.
James Hogan expects a rapid uptake of this service. "Business and leisure
travellers are looking for every opportunity to fly from Birmingham
International Airport, which avoids the delays usually associated with
journeys to Heathrow, especially from the north of London," he said.
Birmingham International Airport is the UK's second largest airport outside
London, and the UK's fifth largest overall. It is located to the north-west
of the City of Birmingham which lies at the industrial heart of England.
Birmingham is close to popular tourist destinations such as
Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare, and the Cotswolds area
renowned for its beautiful countryside and picture-book English villages. It
is also located close to some of the world's best known industries such as
Jaguar cars and the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Europe's busiest
exhibition centre.
The airport boasts excellent road and rail connections to the rest of the
country. A main line railway station lies adjacent to the airport, which is
located close to motorway connections for the M6 to the North, M5 to the
West and M40 to London.
About Gulf Air
Gulf Air was founded in 1950. Today, it is owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain,
Oman and the UAE and is the only truly pan Gulf carrier in the region. The
airline's network stretches from Europe to Asia and covers more than 50
cities in 32 countries. The fleet is one of the most modern in the Middle
East and comprises 35 aircraft.
The airline is in the second year of a three-year strategic recovery
programme, headed by President and Chief Executive, James Hogan. The airline
's aim is to further evolve by taking its renowned cultural strengths,
technical expertise, modern fleet and professional management team which
have been developed over more than half a century, into a global competitive
environment.
Gulf Air was recognised with the prestigious Airline Turnaround of the Year
Award by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) in 2003 and it was
selected as a one of the leading and most recognised brands in the UAE by
the Superbrands Council. The airline also received the top honour of a
platinum award for being voted the Best Middle East and North Africa Airline
at the 2004 Arabian Travel Market's inaugural MENA Awards. The airline also
was named the winner of the Excellence in Quality Improvement category of
the 2004 Skytrax Airline Excellence Awards, the world's largest survey of
passenger attitudes towards airlines.