YOWza From Canada, joined Jul 2005, 4781 posts, RR: 17 Posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 1481 times:
Loads of questions here. Please chip in anywhere you can!
Kuwait Airways
What is going on with their privatization? Has this be approved yet and is there a suitor?
What are KU's near and long term plans? They seem - at least from the outside - to be stuck in the 90's.
Wataniya Airways
I understand that they have folded. What was the main proponent of their demise? Is there scope for a third carrier on the KWI scene?
Jazeera Airways
Things appear to be stagnating. I was surprised to learn that they still have not ventured into India/Pakistan yet. Is there a reason for this?
Abstract
Like all GCC states I understand that Kuwait has foreign ownership restrictions which presumably apply to airlines as well. There is constant chatter around liberalizing these rules but is this realistic or imminent? Could I as a foreigner in theory go in and set up shop?
What is the state of Kuwait's air treaties with India and Pakistan?
kaitak From Ireland, joined Aug 1999, 11958 posts, RR: 37 Reply 1, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 1459 times:
I have a long standing interesting in KAC and Kuwait, as this is where my interest in aviation back, over 30 years ago!
I think, in relation to Kuwait Airways' privatisation, the big issue clouding this is that there has been quite a lot of political turbulence in Kuwait in recent months and even weeks. KAC's privatisation has been talked about for a long time and I think it is still on the agenda, but until the current political instability is sorted out, we won't see much happening.
As for KAC's medium and long term plans, I believe it still plans to get hold of newer aircraft; you'll recall that a plan to lease A320s and 787s was shot down. No doubt there are many in Kuwait who look down south, towards Qatar and the UAE and wonder what could have been, had the vision and ability been there. KAC needs to update its fleet and get its backside in gear; I believe there are currently plans for a big new terminal in KWI, which should help a lot.
As for Wataniya, I believe is has folded. I think that Jazeera has not so much stagnated, but has consolidated; perhaps its initial plans were too ambitious; one thing is sure, which is that KU needs competition, so I hope they stay around.
As for setting up a business in Kuwait, I believe all businesses need to be at least 50% owned by Kuwaitis and bear in mind that most aviation bilateral treaties would require this anyway.
YOWza From Canada, joined Jul 2005, 4781 posts, RR: 17 Reply 2, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 1391 times:
Quoting kaitak (Reply 1): As for setting up a business in Kuwait, I believe all businesses need to be at least 50% owned by Kuwaitis and bear in mind that most aviation bilateral treaties would require this anyway.
So for Kuwaiti bi-laterals to be upheld with a foreign owned Kuwaiti flagged carrier the ownership would need to sit at 50-50? Interesting. I was not aware of this.
kesflyer From Australia, joined Aug 2005, 103 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 1204 times:
Several weeks back, Wataniya fleet of 3 to 4 A320s still parked on remote stands at KWI airport. Maybe will make a comeback in the near future or have no buyers for these aircraft.
KFlyer From Sri Lanka, joined Mar 2007, 1208 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 1113 times:
If there's a recent Kuwaiti aviation success story, that seems to be Sahaab Leasing (subsidiary of Jazeera). They seem to be quite successful at placing ex- Jazeera A320s with other airlines!
The opinions above are solely my own and do not express those of my employers or clients.
777way From Pakistan, joined Dec 2005, 5205 posts, RR: 4 Reply 5, posted (1 year 5 months 3 weeks 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 1112 times:
Quoting YOWza (Thread starter): Jazeera Airways
Things appear to be stagnating. I was surprised to learn that they still have not ventured into India/Pakistan yet. Is there a reason for this?
They served both countries, three cities in India one in Pakistan.
yowza From Canada, joined Jul 2005, 4781 posts, RR: 17 Reply 6, posted (1 year 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 897 times:
Quoting 777way (Reply 5): They served both countries, three cities in India one in Pakistan.
Any further info on this? Dates and locations? Why the pullout?
Quoting kesflyer (Reply 3): Maybe will make a comeback in the near future or have no buyers for these aircraft.
Some great looking birds it's a shame to see them relegated to being models. I'm assuming they were purchased rather than leased otherwise they would have made their way back to the lessors right?
Does anyone know if Kuwait has open skies with India?
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21498 posts, RR: 24 Reply 7, posted (1 year 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 884 times:
Quoting yowza (Reply 6): Does anyone know if Kuwait has open skies with India?
The current Kuwait-India bilateral is far from open skies. See paragraph 4.1 in the following document covering the most recent (2006) changes to the bilateral (from the Indian government website that contains all of their bilaterals). http://dgca.nic.in/bilateral/mou-Kuwait.pdf
B747forever From United States of America, joined May 2007, 16575 posts, RR: 11 Reply 8, posted (1 year 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 881 times:
pnd100 From Canada, joined Mar 2009, 343 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (1 year 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 723 times:
From Arab News: Award-winning airline Jazeera Airways, the largest airline serving the Middle East out of Kuwait, today issued its monthly operational performance report for October 2011, which showed that the airline has once again captured a leading market share on most of the routes it operates.
It is a shame that despite having a head start in the region, KU failed to capitalize as yet on the emergence of the Gulf as a transit point between the West & East. This was in great part due to the first Gulf War but then again critics will point out that in the 20 years since it has not been able to recover either. With it's advantageous location KWI & KU could be a lot better off than they are.
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