Gulf Air Developments
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
While real airlines are aquiring 777's, 380's etc, GF bods still get excited about 320's...how cute.
Oddy
Oddy
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: 39000 FT
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I agree totally, my reference was about all major international airlines; that said, the only real airlines in the ME operating on a realistic commercial basis are RJ, MEA and to an extent GF(but their problems are of their OWN making!)The rest guzzle money from their governments like a 1950's V8 Chevvy guzzles fuel.
Oddy.
Oddy.
Last edited by ODMEA; 20th Sep 2009 at 04:52.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Singapore
Posts: 553
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
LET GF SINK AND LET THE OTHER HEAVILY SUBSIDISED CARRIERS SERVICE BAHRAIN AND WORRY ABOUT THEIR OWN LOSSES!!!! BAHRAIN DOES NOT DESERVE IT'S OWN AIRLINE...TOO MANY THIEVES AND GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE THE WILL TO SACK ALL THE LOCAL SUCKERS WHO ARE BLEEDING IT TO DEATH ANYWAY. BEST TO JUST LET IT DIE.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: way down south
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Unfortunately brassplate you are 100% correct-after all these years of thieving from the other 3/2/1 owner states we are finally at an end. Guys enjoy flying for Gulf Air the oldest REGIONAL carrier in the middle east.
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Australia
Posts: 628
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Although a viable but undesireable solution, I will disagree with that one. There is way too much collateral damage to Bahrain.
I think there is still some very good and viable options.
GF will certainly need to think outside the box for it though. One possible solution I can think of that is in line with the CEO's thinking with regards to merging with others. Who might be a good partner?
I'm going out on a limb to suggest Iraq.
What? Am I out of my mind? But think on it a minute.
Iraq does not have a 'real' airline. Whatever they have lacks infrastructure, international clout, experience, exposure and network.
They have a lot of money which could be well spent in reestablishing international ties. It is a well known fact that an essential catalyst to peace, prosperity and stability is an international carrier. They have nothing to lose on this one.
GF will benefit greatly from having a base closer to Europe and indeed one that will be greatly utilised in Iraqs journey to normalcy.
A gamble but one very much worth exploring I think.
I think there is still some very good and viable options.
GF will certainly need to think outside the box for it though. One possible solution I can think of that is in line with the CEO's thinking with regards to merging with others. Who might be a good partner?
I'm going out on a limb to suggest Iraq.
What? Am I out of my mind? But think on it a minute.
Iraq does not have a 'real' airline. Whatever they have lacks infrastructure, international clout, experience, exposure and network.
They have a lot of money which could be well spent in reestablishing international ties. It is a well known fact that an essential catalyst to peace, prosperity and stability is an international carrier. They have nothing to lose on this one.
GF will benefit greatly from having a base closer to Europe and indeed one that will be greatly utilised in Iraqs journey to normalcy.
A gamble but one very much worth exploring I think.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Bahrain
Posts: 196
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The 333 shown is the -KJ. They do the same for the A340's coding them as A340 and A343, but they are all the same aircraft basically.
The real A330-300 was expected for January 2010 if the new management do not change the order...
The real A330-300 was expected for January 2010 if the new management do not change the order...
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: 39000 FT
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Charity for GF-anyone got a cheap plane?
Not to worry, GF are great at scavenging for other carriers leftovers...I'm sure they'll find an A330 out there someplace - if not a paid for one from Tolouse.
This airline is now just hot air....just got an email telling me they had uped baggage allowance..about 4 months after EK did the same. They only mentioned the benefits of in flight nanny...dont they normally sing about the in flight chef from the highest mountain too? Or cant they afford that anymore?..stupid carrier if thats the case, one major plus and they dump it.
GF RIP
This airline is now just hot air....just got an email telling me they had uped baggage allowance..about 4 months after EK did the same. They only mentioned the benefits of in flight nanny...dont they normally sing about the in flight chef from the highest mountain too? Or cant they afford that anymore?..stupid carrier if thats the case, one major plus and they dump it.
GF RIP
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: usa
Age: 63
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Partner up with someone? that's like sharing a bar of soap in prison.....
Why would any company consider partnering with cooked books and leadership given out to anyone that can run a cold store or a travel outlet?
Why would any company consider partnering with cooked books and leadership given out to anyone that can run a cold store or a travel outlet?
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: The Palm
Posts: 702
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Gulf Air goes back to basics
This is what one of the online magazines says and this is the only way out. It'll be painful for Bahrainis and Expats, but there is no other way.
The Company has to get lean, efficient and professional. Re-training the good performers staying and bringing in fresh-blood, people keen to provide the best service, will create a much better customer service. Pilots can also provide a good customer service. This is deafening for many, but pilots are part of the team even with a bullet-proof door up front.
Customer service has to improve. You cannot have an upset passenger boarding a flight because the ground services failed. Ground services include sales for this exercise.
Downsize to 20 younger aircraft. 10 short/medium-haul and another 10 medium/long haul. You can use a single aisle aircraft on medium-haul where thin traffic exists. Stay with 1 manufacturer and with twins. Airbus seems a good choice for the time being. Lease/sell the others. Perhaps leasing will keep some jobs until such a time the Company sells the aircraft for good. And there is maintenance to weigh. Out-sourcing is cheaper sometimes, but service quality isn't the best.
GF has to look at the yield. Where do I make money from? Try flying direct to the destinations the Expats in Bahrain come from. Get the cargo of imported food stuffs direct from those destinations Expats use. Don't let this traffic go to QR/EK/EY and the LCCs. They are powerful and they provide LCC prices with a 1 or 2 stops. GF has to make it non-stop and still profitable. Improve in-flight sales with competitive prices with goods passengers like to buy. Don't have expensive watches on a Karachi flight. Many passengers miss the duty-free shopping because they were late completing their departure procedures.
Through-traffic is a bonus, but again QR/EK/EY can do it cheaper right now, better and they have the money to do it.
This is what one of the online magazines says and this is the only way out. It'll be painful for Bahrainis and Expats, but there is no other way.
The Company has to get lean, efficient and professional. Re-training the good performers staying and bringing in fresh-blood, people keen to provide the best service, will create a much better customer service. Pilots can also provide a good customer service. This is deafening for many, but pilots are part of the team even with a bullet-proof door up front.
Customer service has to improve. You cannot have an upset passenger boarding a flight because the ground services failed. Ground services include sales for this exercise.
Downsize to 20 younger aircraft. 10 short/medium-haul and another 10 medium/long haul. You can use a single aisle aircraft on medium-haul where thin traffic exists. Stay with 1 manufacturer and with twins. Airbus seems a good choice for the time being. Lease/sell the others. Perhaps leasing will keep some jobs until such a time the Company sells the aircraft for good. And there is maintenance to weigh. Out-sourcing is cheaper sometimes, but service quality isn't the best.
GF has to look at the yield. Where do I make money from? Try flying direct to the destinations the Expats in Bahrain come from. Get the cargo of imported food stuffs direct from those destinations Expats use. Don't let this traffic go to QR/EK/EY and the LCCs. They are powerful and they provide LCC prices with a 1 or 2 stops. GF has to make it non-stop and still profitable. Improve in-flight sales with competitive prices with goods passengers like to buy. Don't have expensive watches on a Karachi flight. Many passengers miss the duty-free shopping because they were late completing their departure procedures.
Through-traffic is a bonus, but again QR/EK/EY can do it cheaper right now, better and they have the money to do it.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Somewhere out there
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Pass the soap...
Would you wanna share your soap with someone who has never been profitable? There is no hope of sustaining the current structure (that goes for everything; staff levels, fleet upgrades, routes etc) without lots n lots of the Sheihks lovely dinars. Same could be said pretty much for all the carriers out this way, especially the Gulf region. It's an evolution and things have dragged on like this for a long time, and may even continue for as much again, but eventually it'll come to the crunch and something will have to be done.
GF, as probably the largest employer of Bahrainis, apart from taxi driving
, would be a nightmare for the Sheihk if they had to downsize or worse, there'd be tonnes of angry Bahrainis on the streets of Manama. Might be easier for the Sheihky to keep printing the money than risk a social problem. That's one of the key differences between GF and the carriers next door. If something catastrophic happened at EK / EY etc the workforce would all have to return to their respective countries with minimal impact on the locals comparatively but GF would be a different story.
It would be in the interest of the other major players next door to see GF feel the pinch and downsize and lap up the bits worth taking but regional politics would probably play a large part in it beforehand.
Airline mergers are old hat in the West, time will tell if it catches on here.
Hustle On.
GF, as probably the largest employer of Bahrainis, apart from taxi driving
, would be a nightmare for the Sheihk if they had to downsize or worse, there'd be tonnes of angry Bahrainis on the streets of Manama. Might be easier for the Sheihky to keep printing the money than risk a social problem. That's one of the key differences between GF and the carriers next door. If something catastrophic happened at EK / EY etc the workforce would all have to return to their respective countries with minimal impact on the locals comparatively but GF would be a different story.It would be in the interest of the other major players next door to see GF feel the pinch and downsize and lap up the bits worth taking but regional politics would probably play a large part in it beforehand.
Airline mergers are old hat in the West, time will tell if it catches on here.
Hustle On.
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: The Palm
Posts: 702
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
GF, as probably the largest employer of Bahrainis, apart from taxi driving , would be a nightmare for the Sheihk if they had to downsize or worse, there'd be tonnes of angry Bahrainis on the streets of Manama. Might be easier for the Sheihky to keep printing the money than risk a social problem
Early retirement for the useless ones. They would be more profitable at home than at work.
This would unable GF management to keep the good performing Bahrainis and they are not just few. Many of these good guys lack direction because the management system just does not work and talent is easily wasted.
GF may not be the largest employer in the country. You have BAPCO, BATELCO, ASRY, ALBA and others and they employ loads of people.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Singapore
Posts: 553
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
the problems took years in the making. you think he will change things in two months? it doesn't really matter. this job is way over his head. the board gave him mission impossible.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: way down south
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's all very quiet in GF these days, no word from the big boys upstairs & it's been almost a month since the new CEO communicated with us. Strange, since his last communique went on about how "communication is integral to a company's success" & about how he was "currently reviewing a number of ways in which I can communicate with you more effectively" Maybe he's given up already or will he just follow the path tread by his predecessors & just fill his boots. It's starting to look that way especially with the rumours of Embraers coming(I believe he got a very tidy comission from buying them for RJ).