Gulf Air Traveller

[Canuck767]

Hello all...I have an interview coming up with Gulf Air for the 767 operation and would greatly appreciate any information anyone might have to add. Specifically, I'm interested in the living conditions in Abu Dhabi, the housing arrangments and the school system for young children (around 8-11 yrs old).

With the recent large aircraft purchase by GF, is it a fair assumption that growth will be steady and upwards? I have a number of friends who are in the mill with EK and I'm curious for feedback if GF is close in comparison with Emirates in how pilots are treated?

One last thing...does anyone have any detailed information as to what the interview process is all about? It's being conducted in London.

oh yes, is anyone able to outline what the initial pay package is for F/O's just beginning? (with everything included?)

Thanks to all..

Canuck767

[millerscourt]

Canuck I am ex GF many years ago so cannot really help except to say that Gulf Traveller is a Low Cost Economy only ,meaning not only Low Cost to the passengers,but also Low Cost to the Airline regards Salaries etc and no doubt GF like all other Airlines that employ ex-pats will try and pay as little as they can get away with due to the current employment situation. If you are gainfully employed stay put ,if unemployed then Beggars cannot be choosy. The routes are dreadfull. All Indian sub continent and Africa.

[Speedbrake Lever]

Millers et al

As a rather senior chappie now in Gulf Traveller lets just say everything has their teething problems
but I can assure you

Soon enough it will be seen for what it was meant to be

Dreadful routes you mention that's fine ,you show yourself up though don't you ( as an EX )

there are many more " NICE" routes to be launched before years end

and whether any one on this forum likes to pretend otherwise these dreadful routes are the ones that keep our aviation business going
without them not only GF but Emirates, Qatar Oman Kuwait and Saudia would probably nearly cease to exist not to mention NICE - airlines. ( Wonder who they might BE)

The airlines in the Mid East are buying planes and hiring people virtually all the time

Please name me the other carriers doing this on the scale being done out this neck of the woods
I'm sure many a poor man/woman is glad they're in existence
offering what the others can't - won't.

S.L.

[ironbutt57]

Schooling in AUH has been a major problem..long waiting lists

[millerscourt]

S/ L As a rather senior chappie in GF going to Gulf Traveller you no doubt are maintaining your GF salary whilst Canuck will be on an entirely different lower scale Yes???

As an ex GF I am well aware that the Indian sub continent is the mainstay of the business for all Middle East Airlines and if you like spending your life going to Dhaka,Trivandrum,Karachi,Bombay,Delhi,etc etc then good for you.

You say Airlines in the ME are expanding. Yes that is so except GF who are still a lot smaller than when I left!! Financially GF is the most vulnerable as AUH holds the purse strings. Is that why you are going there??

I have never regretted my move elsewhere to a better part of the world and routes .. Its horses for courses but as Canuck was enquiring,GF traveller is an experiment which might fail. Can you explain the huge number of complaints from those within GF who are being force marched to Abu Dhabi????

[Speedbrake Lever]

Millers

Where you go is really of no difference is it ?? I mean a hotel room for up to 24 hours is virtually the same everywhere

I haven't a clue what salaries are being offered yes of course if you spend a long time with any one outfit naturally you will get more than a new joiner and so it should be.

Yes lots of Hassle with the move to Abu Dhabi but many are buying houses something which hasn't been readily available to people working out this neck of the woods for well ever ??


Only thing is you must remember that Politics albeit different out here does go on

I can assure you Gulf Traveller will not fail

Gulf Air Might

Time will tell

S.L.

[boiler]

Speaking of Gulf Traveller, I heard that is is negatively impacting AUH airport. I have been told (wish someone could verify if this is true) that it's is always overcrowded with ISC passengers and the airport is suffeing since is is a pretty small airport to begin with. It is also affecting the Duty free shops as well since most of the pax are laborers and can't afford the pricy stuff. If this is indeed true, will the AUH govt. take this for long?

[ironbutt57]

Not too sure speedbrake lever is going to gulf traveller anyway...

[ferris]

It's got nothing to do with Traveller. It's been like that for a while. Mostly ISC pax as they are most of the population.
Plans for expansion never keep up with the explosive growth. Can't comment on the duty free, as I don't know.
The last time I went thru, we used a stand-off bay with airstairs, bussed to the terminal, entered via the transit lounge (it's called transitting the transit lounge), and yes, the terminal was absolutely jam packed.
I don't think those in govt. use the regular terminal!!! I'm sure over the other side is much more genteel.
When the expansion happens, things will improve, but where they intend to put the planes and people in the mean-time (incl. planned start-ups)?????

[ironbutt57]

The flights being operated by Traveller were in fact in operation by mainline prior to Traveller being established, so other than the extra seats being avilable on the aircraft, can't see how this could be a problem..since the AUH govt is a partner in Gulf Air, thus Traveller by default, and Traveller seems to in fact be in demand, then how could they be upset at the increased revenues? Duty free...there seems to be no shortage of duty free bags in the overhead lockers on traveller flights.

[MFPLT]

Those pilots in Gulf Air could you please explain your upgrade requirements within the company.

Also Staff travel benefits.

The info I have is vague "in accordance with company regulation"

Many Thanks

[Desertia]

Speedbrake you are living on a different planet mate, but I do see your point that Gulf Traveller might survive by becoming the McDonalds of Gulf airlines.
While Qatar announce a major aircraft acquisition, Emirates a huge one, Gulf Air might do what - rent another Airbus for a while?

I think Mr. Hogan and his aussie chums will walk out of GF in a year or two with a big wad of cash patting themselves on the back, leaving a lean, mean, fighting machine capable of competing with Bangladesh Biman on the Kish-Dacca route.

But I suppose the alternative, of a bloated, overstaffed boys club with the coffers regularly filled from the UAE and regularly emptied by its caretakers is not such a brilliant alternative.


Shame really.

[Desertia]

Interesting article from today's Gulf News; I didn't know about MENAJET or Pluto Airlines!

Gulf aviation enters new era of competition
Gulf News Dubai |By Saifur Rahman, Staff Reporter | 30-06-2003


The Gulf's aviation sector is showing a degree of maturity and diversification after decades of traditional service that mainly catered to transporting contract labourers in the 1970s and 1980s and the business and leisure segment in the 1990s, before entering segmentation and specialisation in the new millennium.

The launch of Gulf Traveller - an all-economy class subsidiary by Gulf Air - followed by the announcement of the region's first no-frills carrier, MenaJet, coupled with the very recent launch of executive charter carrier Royal Jet, are very encouraging and mark the beginning of a new era in the Gulf's aviation scene.

These developments mark a fundamental shift in the region's aviation industry and widens the options for budget travellers as well as high-profile business travellers. Although it is too early to comment on the prospects and success of the all-economy class and no-frills airlines, the development reflects a shift from traditional thinking among aviation officials.

The traditionally demand-driven aviation sector has been lacking in imagination and innovation for a long time, with the exception of Dubai-based Emirates, due to an increase in the demand for transporting labourers mainly from South Asia, growth in business travellers from Europe, the Americas and the Far East, as well as an increase in leisure travellers from the West and Far East.

For a long time, all the major Gulf carriers have been catering to the same market, eating into each other's shares. While some increased their net profit, others like Gulf Air continued to sustain losses, a price paid mainly due to being complacent in a very competitive market which is also served by many European, African, Middle Eastern and Asian carriers.

Things, however, started to change as competition began to toughen with the launch of Qatar Airways in the mid-1990s and Oman Air in the late 1990s, which also began to take a toll on Gulf Air - the carrier owned by four Gulf states, Bahrain, Qatar (until last year), Oman and Abu Dhabi.

Sharjah, which was mulling the launch of its own carrier for some time, has finally announced the launch of Pluto Airline, which is going to put pressure on the existing players and possibly widen choices for passengers.

All these developments last year forced Gulf Air to adopt a do-or-die measure to bring it back to profitability at a time when Abu Dhabi had also declared its intention to launch a new airline.

The plan by Abu Dhabi appears to have been stalled with Gulf Air's initial success of a three-year recovery plan kicked off by James Hogan, its president and chief executive, who has managed to bring back some degree of confidence among the carrier's shareholders by reducing losses.

Though all-economy and no-frills airlines are not new in the aviation industry, these have never been tested in the Gulf's market so far.

For many people in the region, these are new and alien concepts and how the passengers receive these services is to be seen.

Better options

The recent shift in thinking among the region's aviation officials is obviously a result of the increased competition in a limited market, in which one has little choice but to come up with better options in order to give one's competitors a run for their money. With Gulf Traveller, that's exactly what Gulf Air is planning to do.

The first and business class seats in the flights to most south Asian destinations in any case remain almost empty. So the all-economy class livery makes good economic sense, aviation experts believe.

Not only will a full-service all-economy class livery help Gulf Air manage its inventory, capacity and load in a better way, it will also be in a position to 'play around' with the economy-class fare and bring it down, if necessary, because of extra seats and presumably additional loads it is going to command.

Additionally, it now has the option to pass on extra commission to travel agents who will lure passengers to Gulf Air.

How the market reacts to the possible scenario is not yet known.

However, one thing is very clear. Gulf Air is going to enjoy more flexibility in the market in terms of pricing of economy class tickets and filling up all the seats.

The aviation community will understandably monitor the development of this all-economy class brand and its success while taking a close look at how it contributes to Gulf Air's bottomline in the coming months.

Many aviation officials believe this is going to take the competition in the economy-class segment to a different level. At least James Hogan does.

During its launch, Hogan said: "Gulf Traveller, we believe, will change the face of the aviation business in this part of the world. It is a unique product in this part of the world.

"Gulf Traveller is the next stage of the new business model that we are introducing to destinations in the subcontinent. We will maintain the same economy class fare across both the brands and won't offer cheaper rates. It is not going to be a cheaper carrier, but a competitive one," he stressed.

With this, Hogan claimed that the carrier is 'back in business'. Gulf Air is, indeed, back in business.

[Gnadenburg]

Two days ago an Australian newspaper announced that Olympia(?) will code share on Gulf Air's new daily service to Sydney.

Olympia formerly operated the route itself.

A small victory for Gulf Air?

[mutt]

I'm at a loss here to see whats special about GULF TRAVELLER...... for years Saudia has operated B747's in 95% economy configurations with extremely bad no frills service......

So whats the difference?????


Mutt......