Category Archives: Aviation

Jazeera Airways, continuing robust growth, announced record net profits of KD20.1 million for the year 2022, an increase of 183.6% over 2021. Operating revenues for 2022 increased to KD182.116 million, up 126.5%, and operating profit increased by 148.4% to KD26.8 million. With the resumption of operations at the Kuwait International Airport (KIA), the airline built on its quick return to profitability in the second half of 2021. During 2022, Jazeera also exceeded 2019 performance; which was the last comparable full year of unrestricted operations, by 30%. While overall passenger traffic at the airport dropped by 26% compared to 2019, Jazeera’s traffic grew by 19% during the same period. Passenger numbers increased by 247.5% to an unprecedented 3.6 million, compared to the last year. Load factor increased by 10.2% to 77.01, which offset a decline in yield, the average fare paid per passenger, by 35.1% to KD47.96. Marwan Boodai, Jazeera Airways Chairman, commented: “We are extremely proud to report record annual net profits for the year 2022, the highest in the history of Jazeera Airways. In the last year, high fuel prices added approximately KD9 million to our costs. Our financial performance despite this additional cost burden testifies to the aggressive cost focus across the organization. The fact that we carried 3.6 million passengers in 2022, up from 2.4 million passengers in 2019, shows the strong acceptance of our business model and growing service by our customers. With our growing fleet, new upcoming routes and planned enhancements to our operations, 2023 is going to be another exciting year.” In the last quarter of 2022, the airline reported a modest net loss of KD0.7 million, compared to a profit of KD7 million …

Sharjah Airport experienced a remarkable growth in the previous year achieving the Authority’s primary objectives of revamping the Emirate’s tourism sector as well as elevating the airport’s status as one of the top five airports in the region. Passenger traffic witnessed a growth rate of 84.73 per cent, increasing the numbers to nearly 13 million passengers in 2022, as opposed to 7 million passengers in 2021. Meanwhile, aircraft movement experienced an increase of 51.69 per cent to 87,495 flights in 2022, as compared to 57,679 by the end of 2021. Moreover, around 170,544 tonnes of freight were handled through the Sharjah Airport in 2022, indicating an increase of 21.20 percent from around 140,717 tonnes in 2021. His Excellency Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority, said: “The growth and achievements recorded in the previous year reflects our commitment to meeting evolving passenger expectations through our enhanced customer services. This marks a significant step in our journey towards excellence and leadership, which is in line with the visions and aspirations of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah and are as a result of the close supervision of H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council. The remarkable results resonate our strategic goals of reviving the travel industry in the Emirate of Sharjah, together with our ambitions to offer elevated levels of services. To satisfy the rising demand of the travel and air freight sectors, we further aim at raising our investments in expanding the airport’s capacity and enhancing the network of tourism …

Moscow Domodedovo Airport’s (DME) welcomed Jazeera Airways’ inaugural flight from Kuwait International Airport. Jazeera Airways, Kuwait’s leading low cost airline began operating this new route to offer passengers from Moscow connectivity to the Middle East region and beyond. Andrey Pavlov, Director of Domodedovo Airport said: “It is a great honor for us to receive a new carrier that will operate a unique route for the Moscow air hub, connecting the capitals of the two countries — Moscow and Kuwait City. We believe that our cooperation with Jazeera Airways will also actively contribute to strengthening relations between the two countries.” Kuwait, based in the Middle East, is one of the most developed countries in the world, offering a mix of modernity and old world charm. Domodedovo Airport’s passengers will enjoy direct connectivity to Kuwait and will also have access to Jazeera’s wide network of 55+ destinations across the Middle East, Central & South Asia, North Africa and Europe. Bharathan Ravindran, Vice President – Sales for Jazeera Airways said: “We are excited to be the first airline to launch the Kuwait – Moscow route in partnership with the Moscow Domodedovo Airport. We see a high demand for flights from Moscow for leisure travel as well as religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. Kuwait is ideally located to offer this connectivity. We are also looking forward to increasing the frequency of flights in the coming year to meet the demand for this route.” Jazeera Airways operates flights from Moscow Domodedovo Airport, one of the busiest airports in Russia, to Kuwait four times a week; on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

flynas celebrated the opening of its office in Doha recently, after operating daily flights between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, to be the first low-cost operator linking the two brotherly countries. HH Prince Mansour bin Khalid bin Farhan Al-Saud, and the officials of the Qatar Tourism, and the General Authority of Civil Aviation in Qatar. flynas is the first low-cost carrier linking the Kingdom and Qatar with daily flights to Doha from Riyadh and Jeddah, within the expansion strategy it launched early last year under the slogan “We Connect the World to the Kingdom”, and in line with the objectives of the Saudi civil aviation strategy to reach 330 million passengers and increase the international destinations connected with the Kingdom to more than 250 destinations by 2030. The Saudi carrier started last November operating up to 6 daily flights from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah to Doha, providing its guests with multiple options with the launch of the FIFA World Cup 2022 hosted by Qatar.   It is noteworthy that Flynas has reported double annual growth in operation and performance in 2022, with increasing passengers by 91% to 8.7 million, flights by 45% to 66,000, and seat capacity by 46%, in addition to launching 16 destinations and 30 routes as fleet upscaled to 43 aircraft. The success of flynas was recognised with many international awards, including Skytrax International Award as the Best Low-cost Airline in the Middle East in 2022 for the fifth year in a row. It is the highest award given in the aviation sector worldwide since its launch in 1999. flynas was also ranked among the Skytrax top 10 low-cost …

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) and Damas Saudi Arabia Company Ltd. signed an agreement to grant members of the frequent flyer program, ALFURSAN, miles added to their account for every purchase. The agreement was signed by the Vice President of Marketing and Product Management at SAUDIA, Mr. Essam Akhonbay, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Damas and CEO, Mr. Luc Perramond. Under the agreement, members of the Blue and Silver tiers of the Elite ALFURSAN program will receive one additional mile for every USD per purchase from Damas, while members of the Gold Level Elite Plus will receive two additional miles for every USD on each purchase from Damas. Mr. Essam Akhonbay, VP Marketing and Product Management at SAUDIA, stated, “In line with the new program revamp, ALFURSAN is set to offer more rewards, miles, and partners to maximize the benefits to our 7.5 million ALFURSAN members. This partnership will enrich the pool of benefits to ensure our elite members receive more value for their loyalty”. Luc Perramond, Chairman and CEO of Damas Jewellery commented: “We are proud to announce the signing of our partnership with SAUDIA, one of the most notable airlines in the region. As a leading player in the jewellery sector in the Kingdom in particular and the Gulf in general, it is essential that our products and services remain fully compatible with the changing needs of the market that is always seeking brilliance and creativity.” Perramond added, “We will in turn strive to meet the needs of the consumer with our distinguished business and various offers. One of our goals is to offer ALFURSAN members a high-level shopping experience, where they are rewarded for …

flynas announced that its passengers can apply for an electronic Stopover Visa through its website. The “Stopover Visa” is issued after purchasing the airline ticket, and the validity of the visa extends to three months and the stay in the Kingdom up to 4 days. The visa application will be passed automatically to the unified national visa platform at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to process and issue the digital visa immediately and send it to the beneficiary via e-mail. Expecting that the new service will contribute to increasing the visitors to the Kingdom, including Umrah and Pilgrim visitors, tourists, and businessmen, Bandar Almohanna, CEO and Managing Director of flynas, said, “the Saudi Vision 2030 has laid the foundations for cooperation among the regulatory and executive sectors on one hand, and with the private sector on the other hand, to serve the Kingdom’s goals in all sectors. Today, we see a practical application of this integration and cooperation by enabling the national carriers to facilitate a request for issuing a Stopover visa, which facilitates procedures of obtaining a Stopover visa for whoever wishes to visit the Kingdom”. Almohanna stressed that this service will contribute to strengthening the Kingdom’s position as a global hub for travel and business by facilitating quick business visits, making the Kingdom a point of contact between countries and continents. He indicated that the new service comes in line with the civil aviation strategy to reach 330 million passengers and link the Kingdom’s cities with 250 global destinations and 100 million tourists annually. Thousands of tourists are expected to benefit from the Stopover visa to attend the various cultural and entertainment events in the Kingdom throughout the …

Jazeera Airways partnered with the Georgian National Tourism Administration and Convention Bureau of Georgia to organize a roadshow promoting travel and tourism to Georgia. The event was attended by His Excellency Konstantin Zhgenti, Ambassador of Georgia to Kuwait, local travel agents and Jazeera Airways business partners from Kuwait. Speaking at the event, Ambassador Zhgenti said: “We welcome further development of all kinds of friendly relations between Kuwait and Georgia. Mostly important are people to people relations and economic and business cooperation. Direct flights between Kuwait and Georgia helped to develop our relations in this. Jazeera is the leader in this sphere. Tourism is also very important field in our cooperation and this event shows how aviation and tourism can cooperate successfully in this. I am pleased that Georgia is very popular touristic destination in Kuwait and hope that more and more Kuwaitis with support of Georgian tourist authorities visit Georgia in future.” A visa free destination for Kuwaiti citizens, Georgia offers a rich culture, dense history and diverse landscapes making it an ideal for both history and culture lovers. It also offers adventure sports for thrill seekers and green valleys for those that enjoy relaxing scenic views making it the perfect place for individuals and families, both in summer as well as winter. Jazeera Airways operates direct flights from Kuwait to Tiblisi, Georgia. While Tiblisi boasts great culture and food, there are also several other cities in Georgia that are a must visit such as Kakheti, Kudaisi and Gadauri. The flight duration is just under two and half hours, making it a convenient destination to plan a quick getaway from Kuwait. Bharathan Ravindran, VP – Sales for Jazeera Airways added: …

Prince Sultan Aviation Academy (PSAA), a subsidiary of SAUDIA Group, has signed an MoU with the Colleges of Excellence Company in order to establish a general framework aimed at exchanging experiences, information, and launching numerous initiatives in the field of training and development. The agreement outlines the best ways to share information and experiences in the training and education sectors, in addition to organizing many workshops and joint training courses to help achieve common goals. His Excellency Eng. Ibrahim Al-Omar said: “This partnership highlights one of our main objectives, which is enhancing our employee experiences by providing them with training and qualifications which also extends to various government and private sector employees in order to contribute to the localization of jobs. The trainings will be available to industries and services related to aviation or by providing qualitative training programs for other parties to serve their development and localization plans.” His Excellency Dr. Ahmed bin Fahad Al-Fahaid said: “The Technical and Vocational Training Corporation is committed to foster the partnerships between public and private sectors due to their positive impact in providing qualified national cadres armed with the highest levels of advanced training. These partnerships also contribute to supporting the Kingdom’s localization plan by providing training solutions to Saudis. We appreciate The Colleges of Excellence Company’s efforts in qualifying national competencies and its role in providing job opportunities for graduates across all fields.” Prince Sultan Aviation Academy is one of the leading entities specialized in technical and administrative training within the aviation industry. PSAA is equipped with all the qualities required for success including training facilities, equipment, and qualified employees which allows the academy to hold a variety of intensive training …

Kuwait Airways announced the launch of its destinations that will be operated for the 2023 season, following the success that was achieved by introducing various new destinations in the previous year, to meet the requirements of its valued customers with greater travel options to various countries of the world. The launch of the new destinations is also based on the directives of the Board of Directors to expand KAC’s network of routes to destinations witnessing a high demand from customers. The Director of Distribution and Network Planning at Kuwait Airways, Mrs Shorouk Al-Awadhi stated, “Kuwait Airways is steadily progressing towards diversifying its network of routes around the world and launching new destinations that meet the preferences of customers. The company is preparing accurate studies on the feasibility of these markets and destinations, as well as the extent of customer demand for them. At the same time, various destinations in the past year have received widespread popularity from customers and were successful, among them Madrid, Casablanca, Tbilisi and so on.” Al-Awadhi added, “The year 2023 will witness the launch of 20 destinations around the world, as Kuwait Airways will operate its flights, starting in June to Budapest in Hungary with two flights per week on Tuesdays and Saturdays, to Malaga in Spain with three flights per week on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, to Sarajevo in Bosnia with two flights per week on Thursdays and Sundays, and to Mykonos in Greece with two flights per week on Sundays and Wednesdays. This is in addition to its flights to Athens in Greece with one flight per week on Fridays, to Vienna in Austria with three flights per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays …

Faced with increased disruptions, baggage mountains, and staff shortages, airports and airlines are ramping up their investment in technology to digitalize their operations and speed up the passenger journey by offering more self-service options. SITA’s 2022 Air Transport IT Insights report, published reveals that with the post-pandemic recovery CIOs want to ensure operations are as agile and resilient as they are efficient, with IT solutions seen as central to their success. This has spurred an acceleration of digitalization, with airlines and airports looking to key technology solutions to fortify their operations against disruption while automating the passenger experience. The industry’s IT spend is projected to continue its steady year-on-year growth trend since 2020 to support this push for digitalization, with a full 96% of airlines and 93% of airports expecting their IT spend to stay the same or increase in 2023 compared to 2022. Last year airline and airport IT spend rose to an estimated 37 billion USD and 6.8 billion USD respectively. David Lavorel, CEO, SITA, said: “Air travel has recovered faster from the pandemic than anyone in the industry had initially expected, particularly in Europe and the US. While the recovery is welcome, airports and airlines have found themselves on the back foot with staff and resource shortages. This has put strain on operations, resulting in an increased risk of congestion, delays, cancellations and mishandled baggage. Digitalization is seen as key to addressing these challenges, providing more scalability and flexibility.” Airlines are placing great emphasis on IT tools to manage irregular operations and provide the best passenger experience possible even amid staff shortages. Over the next three years, 90% or more of airlines are investing in IT service …