Tag Archives: Gulf Air

Gulf Air has entered into a strategic partnership with Almatar to enhance digital operations between the two entities. As part of the partnership, Gulf Air will integrate its New Distribution Capability (NDC) API with Almatar’s booking platform, enabling Almatar to offer Gulf Air’s products and services, such as seat selection, additional baggage options, refunds, and reissue services. This will provide travelers with a more advanced, flexible, and seamless booking experience. This partnership shows both companies are committed to improve the customer experience and meeting the evolving needs of travelers in a rapidly growing travel and tourism sector. The partnership marks a key milestone in the digital transformation journeys of both Gulf Air and Almatar. It makes Almatar the first OTA company in Saudi Arabia to collaborate with Gulf Air, setting a new industry standard. Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Jeffrey Goh, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Air Group, said: “We are excited about this partnership that opens new digital distribution avenues for Gulf Air products. The integration of the NDC system with Almatar’s platform will enhance operational efficiency and improve the way the airline delivers exceptional services to our customers. Gulf Air is dedicated to adopting modern technology to offer flexible and user-friendly travel solutions, solidifying our competitive edge in regional and global markets.” Mr. Goh added that this partnership is a part of Gulf Air’s broader vision of achieving full digital transformation, improving the overall travel experience, and delivering innovative services that meet the expectations of modern travelers. The NDC integration will ensure easier and more transparent access to Gulf Air’s extensive range of services and products. Mr. Youssef Abdullah Al Rajhi, Chairman of Almatar, expressed pride in this partnership, …

Gulf Air to train 70 Bahrainis in the aviation sector with Tamkeen. Gulf Air signed two agreements with Labour Fund (Tamkeen) aimed at supporting the training of Bahrainis as pilots and aviation engineers. This comes as a continuation of the ongoing collaboration between the two organizations over the past years, with the goal of strengthening national capabilities in aviation by providing specialized training and creating promising and sustainable job opportunities. The support includes training 50 Bahrainis as second officers and 24 Bahrainis in aviation engineering, both specialized fields requiring a high level of technical expertise and creating high-quality jobs in the aviation sector. This comes as a continuation of Tamkeen’s training support to 110 pilots at the company. Commenting on this initiative, Her Excellency Ms. Maha Abdulhameed Mofeez, Chief Executive of Tamkeen, emphasized Tamkeen’s commitment to supporting Bahraini talent to excel in various sectors and specialties, with the goal of making Bahrainis the preferred choice for employment. She stated: “We take pride in this partnership with Gulf Air Group and the promising opportunities it provides for Bahrainis in the aviation sector, which offers high-income jobs and diverse growth and development opportunities both locally and internationally. This partnership aligns with our ongoing efforts on providing training opportunities that refine national talent according to the highest global standards, preparing Bahrainis to enter and succeed in the aviation sector, which is a vital and important industry in the Kingdom.” Tamkeen’s support for the private sector in Bahrain is aligned with its 2024 strategic priorities focused on economic impact and the private sector under three pillars: increasing economic participation through employment opportunities for new market entrants, expanding career development opportunities available to the Bahraini workforce, and …

Gulf Air’s Chief Operations Officer, Captain Qasim Ismaeel, met with Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, the Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture in Malaysia. During the meeting, the two sides discussed aviation and tourism cooperation, strengthened the ties between Malaysia and Gulf Air, and explored new avenues for collaboration in these sectors. They also identified strategies to boost passenger traffic between the two countries. The Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture of Malaysia, along with his accompanying delegation, then took a tour at Gulf Aviation Academy, the training arm of Gulf Air. During the tour, the visiting delegation was briefed on the latest flight simulators housed at the academy.

The long-established national airline of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Air will run flights from Bahrain to Munich four times a week – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays – on a modern Airbus A321neo. Landing in Munich is at 6:35 a.m., while the take-off time for Bahrain is 12:20 p.m. As a vacation destination or as a stopover on a long-distance trip, the island state of Bahrain in the Arabian Gulf offers a mixture of tradition and modernity. The island state also has a direct road link via the King Fahd Causeway, a 25-km long bridge that connects Bahrain with Saudi Arabia. For onward travelers, the international hub boasts a variety of connections to fascinating destinations, including India, Singapore, Thailand, the Maldives, and China. The new connection to Bahrain expands the wide range of flights between Munich and the Gulf States, which is also hugely important to tourism in Bavaria. In 2023, the state capital alone recorded around 400,000 overnight stays by guests from this region, up five percent on the previous year. With a water baptism, a traditional ribbon-cutting, and gingerbread hearts, Munich Airport welcomed the Bahrain-based airline Gulf Air, which will be flying regularly to the Bavarian aviation hub from now on.

Gulf Air has launched its newest seasonal flights to Rhodes, Greece. The airline’s flight to Rhodes was welcomed with a ceremonial water salute and a host of celebratory activities upon its arrival at Rhodes Airport. The airline will operate two weekly flights from Bahrain International Airport (BIA) to Rhodes Airport (RHO) from June 1st to September 28th, on Airbus 320neo aircraft. This new route enhances Gulf Air’s connectivity and provides passengers with more flexibility in their summer travel plans. Flight no. Frequency Departure Airport Departure Time Arrival Airport Arrival Time GF 0050 Thu & Sat BAH 09:40 JMK 13:55 GF 0050 Thu & Sat JMK 14:55 RHO 15:45 GF 0051 Thu & Sat RHO 16:45 BAH 20:25 **All times are local Commenting on the new seasonal destination, a Gulf Air spokesperson said, “We are pleased to add Rhodes to Gulf Air’s dynamic network, increasing the connectivity between Bahrain and Greece to three destinations: Athens as a scheduled destination and Mykonos as a seasonal destination, and now celebrating the inaugural flight to Rhodes. This new route is an integral part of Gulf Air’s strategic commitment to enhance its European network, offering passengers a wider choice of leisure destinations in Europe like Rhodes.” This move further aligns with Gulf Air’s commitment to high-quality passenger travel experiences and enhanced services operating from Bahrain International Airport, connecting to over 60 destinations. Gulf Air passengers can stay updated on flight timings by downloading the Gulf Air mobile application or by visiting Gulf Air’s website gulfair.com.

Emirates and Gulf Air signed a unilateral codeshare partnership, starting this December*. The new agreement will offer easy connections and expanded choices for Gulf Air customers connecting to Dubai and onwards to a host of Emirates destinations across Europe, Africa, South America and the Far East. The agreement was signed on the first day of the Bahrain Airshow, signalling a growing relationship between both airlines following on the framework of cooperation established last year.  The agreement was signed by Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline and Gulf Air’s Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed Al Alawi in the presence of H.E. Mr. Zayed R. Alzayani, Gulf Air’s Chairman of the Board of Directors. The signing ceremony was also attended by members of each airline’s executive management teams. The expanded partnership will see Gulf Air place their marketing code “GF” on Emirates operated flights beyond Dubai to a selection of some of the most attractive global tourism hotspots, offering new holiday options for Gulf Air customers. Travellers will be able to connect to points including Budapest, Prague, Warsaw, Algeria, Tunis, Bali, Hanoi, HoChi Minh City, Taipei and Sao Paulo. The new codeshare agreement’s mix of unique points comes as travellers from the GCC have become more well-informed, value-driven and savvy, increasingly looking for new, diverse experiences and attractions beyond their traditional holiday destinations. The new partnership will also offer customers the convenience of combined ticketing and check-in, a unified policy and seamless transfers for baggage, and competitive single fares on a multi-airline journey when connecting on Emirates. Customers can book their travel on Gulf Air’s website, through Gulf Air point of sales and online travel agencies as well as with local travel …

Gulf Air in co-ordination with Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (RAK International Airport), will commence schedule services to Ras Al Khaimah on 3rd October 2022. The service will commence with a view to establish a year-round scheduled operation between the two airports connecting the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah beyond Bahrain to regional and international destinations on Gulf Air’s global network. The signing ceremony took place at Gulf Air Headquarters in Bahrain, represented by Chairman to the Board of Directors of Gulf Air H.E. Mr Zayed R. Alzayani, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport’s Chairman H.E. Eng. Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Gulf Air Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed AlAlawi, RAK Airport’s CEO Mr. Atanasios Titonis, and RAK’s CEO of Tourism Development Authority Mr. Raki Phillips; including Executive Management members from both companies. Commenting on the signing H.E. Mr Zayed R. Alzayani said, “As the region’s leading boutique carrier with a global footprint, we look forward to adding Ras Al Khaimah to our network of seaside destinations and increasing our UAE points to three (3) with Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Today we signed on the commencement of services to proceed with operations to Ras Al Khaimah, and I am confident our passengers will be impressed with all the facilities and services Ras Al Khaimah International Airport has to offer”. As for Captain Waleed AlAlawi, he commented, “We are delighted to add Ras Al Khaimah as third destination on our growing UAE network, and we would like to recognise and thank the proactive cooperation with Ras Al Khaimah International Airport as we provide our passengers with a new destination known for its quality tourism appeal and attracts tourists from the …

Gulf Air recently introduced Apple Pay on the airline’s Mobile application. Gulf Air customers can now easily book a ticket on the airline’s application without the need of remembering or typing their credit card details, as the new feature allows them to process the payment by easily using Face ID to authorize the transaction. Commenting on this new service, Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed AlAlawi said “This new feature is one of a series of initiatives that we are working on as part of our roadmap for the Gulf Air app. One of our biggest objectives is to provide our customers with convenience and ease to interact with us across all our touch points. The Gulf Air app allows our customers to select their flights, choose their seats and purchase excess baggage among other features; and now with Apple Pay, they can pay for all of that in one easy and quick step”. Captain AlAlawi continued “The Apple Pay initiative was planned and carried out entirely by a team of Bahraini digital, IT and finance experts, and we are proud that such initiatives are managed end to end by Bahraini youth. We encourage our employees to trust their skills and knowledge, and we will continue to invest in developing those skills and training them to enable them to handle bigger projects in the future”. Gulf Air is embarking on an ambitious digital transformation that is aimed at modernizing the airline’s technology ecosystem. Customer centricity sets at the core of Gulf Air’s digital transformation strategy that will reinforce the airline’s position in the market as a five star major airline by allowing it to provide a boutique and personalized passenger …

Gulf Air announced the launch of its services to Rome with two direct weekly flights between Bahrain International Airport and Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport. The national carrier held a celebratory lunch in Rome which was attended by numerous VIPs that included Mr. Manlio Di Stefano Undersecretary of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ambassador of Bahrain to Italy Dr. Nasser Al Balooshi, H.E. Ms. Paola Amadei Ambassador of Italy to Bahrain, H.E. Sheikh Azzam Mubarak Sabah Al-Sabah Ambassador of Kuwait to Italy, H.E. Dr. Ahmed bin Salim bin Mohamed Baomar Ambassador of Oman to Italy, Mr. Paolo Campinoti CEO of PRAMAC, Mr. Federico Scriboni Head of Business Development Aviation at Aeroporti di Roma; among other dignitaries that attended the event. The luncheon also included trade and travel representatives and members of the media. Gulf Air Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed AlAlawi commented “By launching services to Rome, we are expanding our Italian operations which are complimented by the addition of Milan to our network. Now, we are seamlessly connecting Northern and South Central parts of Italy to the Middle East. Expanding into Europe is part of our strategy, and launching Rome will offer our customers the best network of destinations through the fastest hub in the region. Passengers will be able to enjoy excellent connectivity through Rome, while enjoying the great services and hospitality of the most family-friendly airline out there.” Captain AlAlawi also thanked the attendees for their support of the expansion of Gulf Air in Italy, appreciating their efforts in launching the new route. Rome has always been a popular destination among tourists for its history and heritage besides as a shopping destination, not …

Gulf Air started its services to the Italian city of Milan. The maiden flight left Bahrain International Airport on June 01 inaugurating the airline’s direct and indirect operations to Italy’s second largest city. On this occasion, the national carrier held a celebratory lunch in Milan which was attended by numerous VIPs that included H.E. Ambassador of Bahrain to Italy Dr. Nasser Al Balooshi, H.E. Ms. Paola Amadei Ambassador of Italy to Bahrain, Mr. Andrea Tucci Head of Business Development Aviation at SEA – Milan Airport; among other dignitaries that attended the event. The luncheon also included trade and travel representatives and members of the media. Gulf Air Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed AlAlawi commented “Milan is one of the EU’s and the world’s major financial and business centres. From finance to fashion, from designer automobiles to discerning music, from architecture to art; the city of Milan is undeniably one of the most popular destinations in Europe attracting millions of visitors every year. By launching services to Milan we are not only opening new doors of trade and tourism opportunities this city offers to the people and businesses of Bahrain and the region; but also bringing new commercial and other opportunities to Bahrain, the gateway of the Arabian Gulf and beyond.” Captain AlAlawi also thanked the attendees for their support of the expansion of Gulf Air in Italy, appreciating their efforts in launching the new route. Milan is the capital of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. An international and cosmopolitan city, the city remains one of Europe’s main transportation and industrial hubs, and Milan is one of the most important centres for business in the …