Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Gulf Air shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Gulf Air offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Gulf Air at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Gulf Air? Wrong! If the Gulf Air is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Gulf Air then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Gulf Air? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Gulf Air and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Gulf Air wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Gulf Air then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Gulf Air site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Gulf Air, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Gulf Air, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

{{Infobox_Airline |airline=Gulf Air|logo=Gulf_Air_logo.png|logo_size=200px|fleet_size=27|destinations=40|IATA=GF|ICAO=GFA|callsign=GULF AIR|hubs=Bahrain International Airport, [Bahrain|frequent_flyer= Gulf Air Frequent Flyer Programme|lounge=First and Business Class Lounge (no member lounges)|website= http://www.gulfair.com|-->

Gulf Air ([Arabic language: طيران الخليج) is the national carrier for the Bahrain. The airline operates international scheduled services to over 38 destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Far East. Its main base is Bahrain International Airport.Flight International 3 April 2007 The company's logo features a golden falcon.

The airline is not part of an airline alliance but is part of the Oneworld global explorer fare. It has extensive codeshare services with other airlines and special partnerships with Jet Airways and Oman Air's Frequent Flyer Programmes.

History In the late 1940s, Freddie Bosworth (a British pilot) began an air taxi service to Doha and Dhahran from Bahrain. Bosworth later expanded this service and on the 24 March 1950, he registered Gulf Aviation as a private share-holding company. Seven Avro Ansons and 3 De Havilland Express 4-engine biplanes formed the fleet, but more modern aircraft were needed. Bosworth chose the De Havilland Dove but while preparing to introduce the type into service he was killed on a demonstration flight at Croydon on 9 June 1951.

In October 1951 British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) became a major shareholder in Gulf Aviation, holding a 22% stake. Gulf Aviation began services to London in April 1970 with a Vickers VC10 and, with the introduction of BOAC, saw a succession of updated aircraft entering the fleet.

at London Heathrow Airport in 1977

The turning point for Gulf Aviation came in 1973 when the governments of the Kingdom of Bahrain, State of Qatar, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Sultanate of Oman purchased BOAC's shares in Gulf Aviation. The Foundation Treaty signed on 1 January 1974 gave each government a 25% shareholding in the re-branded Gulf Air, which became the national carrier for the four states in the Persian Gulf. Later that year, the airline's onngoing support of oil exploration resulted in the establishment of the wholly owned Gulf Helicopters subsidiary.

With leased Lockheed L-1011 and Boeing 737s joining the fleet, by 1976 Gulf Air had expanded its route network to include: Amman, Amsterdam, Athens, Baghdad, Bangkok, Beirut, Cairo, Colombo, Delhi, Dhaka, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Khartoum, Larnaca, Manila, Paris, Ras al-Khaimah and San‘a’. The fleet comprised 4 Vickers VC10s, 3 BAC One-Elevens, 2 Lockheed L-1011s, and 5 Boeing 737s. Two years later the Tristar fleet had doubled, replacing the VC10s, and the Boeing 737s had increased to 9, resulting in the phasing out of the One-Elevens.

The 1980s saw an increase in air travel and growth for Gulf Air. In 1981 Gulf Air became an IATA member and in the following year became the first international airline to land at Riyadh. In 1988 the Boeing 767s joined the fleet and services to Frankfurt, Istanbul, Damascus, Dar es Salaam, Fujairah and Nairobi were launched, with services to Shiraz and Baghdad resumed.

Gulf Air celebrated its 40th anniversary in 1990 . The light blue and peach Balenciaga-designed uniform was introduced. Singapore, Sydney and Thiruvananthapuram were launched and Gulf Air became the first Arab airline to fly to Australia. Gulf Air added Johannesburg and Melbourne to its network (1992), becoming the first Arab airline to fly directly to these cities. The following year it opened up a Flight Simulator Centre in Qatar. The same year saw the introduction of services to Casablanca, Entebbe, Jakarta, Kilimanjaro, Madras, Rome, San'a', Zanzibar, and Zürich.

In May 1994 , Gulf Air received its first Airbus A340. Gulf Air introduced a no-smoking policy on flights to Singapore and Australia in 1998 which later extended throughout its whole network. In 1999 , Gulf Air also launched three new routes in North Pakistan: Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar. It also took delivery of two (out of six) Airbus A330 aircraft and a new Balmain uniform was introduced.

, displaying the 50th anniversary designs.

21st century In 2000 the airline celebrated its 50th Anniversary and took delivery of the remaining Airbus A330-200 aircraft in June of that year, it also launched services to Milan. In May 2002 , James Hogan was announced President and CEO of Gulf Air and instigated a three year restructuring and turnaround programme, which was launched in response to a drastic fall in profits at the company and ever-increasing debt. The Gulf Air Board unanimously approved the three-year recovery plan at the Extraordinary General Meeting held on 18 December. This month also saw the withdrawal of the State of Qatar from Gulf Air. In 2003 Gulf Air introduced a new Landor Associates designed livery. June 1 2003 saw the establishment of Gulf Traveller, a subsidiary all-economy full-service airline.

Gulf Air also announced a sponsorship deal for the Bahrain Grand Prix which will last until 2010 . This deal created the Gulfair Bahrain Grand Prix, of which the first was staged in 2004 . Gulf Air also introduced direct daily flights to Athens and Sydney, via Singapore, on 23 November 2003.

In 2004, Gulf Air introduced direct flights between Dubai and London and Muscat and London, and a daily service between Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah and showed strong growth as it carried a record 7.5 million passengers during this year. Gulf Air's sponsorship of the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix continued to prove worthehile for the airline, with a record crowd, a global TV audience as well as a record number of passengers being carried to the Kingdom by the airline.

A return to profit was announced, with the best financial performance since 1997 . Despite a BD30 million (USD80 million) cost to the business through fuel price rises during the year, Gulf Air recorded a profit of BD1.5 million (USD4.0 million) in the calendar year to December 2004, on revenues up 23.8% to BD476.3 million (USD1.26 billion) (2003: BD 384.6 million / USD1,020.2 million). The results meant the airline out-performed the targets set under Project Falcon, the three-year restructuring plan approved by the Board in December 2002.

The owner states of Gulf Air at that time - the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Sultanate of Oman - confirmed their support for further expansion of the airline, through a new three-year strategic plan which would include re-equipment of the aircraft fleet and recapitalisation of the business through private sector financing. Gulf Air was also placed on the IOSA registry following its successful completion of the International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).

takes off. The undercarriage is retracting

The new summer schedule commencing 28 April 2006 saw the complete withdrawal of Abu Dhabi as a hub following the decision on the 13 September 2005, by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, to withdraw from Gulf Air and establish its own airline, Etihad Airways. Gulf Air changed its operations to a dual hub basis between Bahrain and Muscat airports. The airline produced a series of adverts in local newspapers thanking Abu Dhabi for its contribution to Gulf Air. Due to the airline being the national carrier for the United Arab Emirates for over 35 years, it has a large customer base located in this country. Gulf Air endeavoured to show the continuing support for flights to Abu Dhabi from Bahrain and Muscat, connecting to the rest of the Gulf Air network via adverts placed in local newspapers.

Gulf Air has an aircraft simulator facility at its Bahrain Headquarters. The BD3.5 million facility will offer real-time, simulated on-board training to pilots on Boeing 767, Airbus A320 family aircraft and A330/340 in three flight simulators.

On the 27 April 2006, the Governments of Bahrain and Thailand signed an 'Open Skies' agreement which allowed an unlimited and unrestricted number of flights between the two nations. Gulf Air operates daily flights to Bangkok from Bahrain, with four flights a week from Muscat. With this new agreement in place, Gulf Air will double its frequency to Thailand by July 2006, with 14 flights a week between Bahrain and Thailand.

James Hogan resigned his position as President and Chief Executive Officer (PCE) as of October 1, 2006, and has since taken the position of CEO at rival airline Etihad Airways. Ahmed Al Hammadi was named acting CEO until Swiss national André Dosé (former CEO of Crossair and Swiss International Air Lines) took on April 1 2007. A few days later, he announced a BD310 million (USD825 million) restructuring plan which included: all flights originate from or arrive at Bahrain; routes to Johannesburg, Dublin, Jakarta, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sydney cancelled; withdrawal of the nine Boeing 767 from the fleet; phased withdrawal of the Airbus A340-300 from the fleet; introduction of the Airbus A321 in July 2007 and of the Airbus A330 in 2009 and layoffs that will not differentiate between employees' nationalities but will be solely performance-based. This led to some employees applying for jobs in other airlines, and in less than a month Gulf Air lost 500 persons from its workforce. This rapid decline of personnel required a senior official to state that "Gulf Air will not be sacking any staff under its recovery plan, but it will be weeding out those who don't do their jobs". The airline is aiming at cutting its workforce by 25 percent through people leaving naturally or accepting voluntary early retirement packages, and the company has a recruitment freeze till further notice.



On May 6 2007, the government of Bahrain claimed 100% ownership of the airline as joint-owner Oman withdrew from the airline. André Dosé resigned on July 23, 2007.http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=496507&Itemid=1

Cabin upgrades would also be implemented as follows:

First Class CabinSky beds across the entire long-haul fleet/Install state-of-the art in-flight entertainment system/Implement latest soft furnishings specification to cabin interiors (Airbus A340 fleet) since their withdrawal in 2006.Business Class CabinFeature fully lie-flat seats across the entire wide-bodied fleet/Replace and improve seat pitch on the entire narrow-bodied fleet/Install state-of-the art in-flight entertainment system

Economy ClassReplace economy seats with state-of-art “lighter-weight” seats across the entire fleet/Feature state-of-the art in-flight entertainment system with “seat back” personal video screens

Awards won By Gulf Air in 2007: *1st place - Best economy class food (2007) *1st place - Most Leg Space in economy class (2007) *1st place - Best Fare In The Middle East (2007)

Destinations See full article: Gulf Air destinations

Gulf Air are planning to start service to Colombo, Shanghai, Zurich from winter 2007. Gulf Air flights from Bahrain to Dar es Salaam are expected to start next year, schedules are being finalised.

Fleet The Gulf Air fleet consists of the following aircraft as of August 2007:

Gulf Air has announced in May 2007 that it will reduce its fleet size to 25 by removing the Boeing 767 aircraft from the fleet as an attempt to cut down maintenance costs. The first leased Airbus A321-200 is to join the fleet in mid-October 2007 and possibly the addition of Boeing 737-800s.

Gulf Air has now stored the Boeing 767's. As of The 16th of September two remain in service, with one stored in Bahrain and the rest in Dublin.

Gulf Air has recently announced plans to order up to 10 wide bodied jets next month during the Dubai Air Show costing up to 3.5 billion Dirhams to cope with Bahrain's booming economy.

Gulf Air average fleet age is 11.9 years old in September 2007. Gulf Air Fleet age

Frequent Flyer Programme In 2003, Gulf Air launched the Gulf Air Frequent Flyer Programme (FFP), replacing the Falcon Frequent Flyer programme. The frequent flyer programme also won four awards at the 17th Annual Freddie Awards. These awards are decided by frequent travellers.

*1st Place - Best Award Redemption, Frequent Flyer Programme, Europe/Middle East/Africa *1st Place - Best Customer Service, Frequent Flyer Programme, Europe/Middle East/Africa *1st Place - Best Award, Frequent Flyer Programme, Europe/Middle East/Africa *1st Place - Best Website, Frequent Flyer Programme, Europe/Middle East/Africa

Gulf Air offers frequent flyer partnerships with the following airlines:



Gulf Air also offers frequent flyer partnerships with the following car rental agencies:



Program levels Gulf Air FFP members are entitled to the following benefits listed below. These benefits do not apply to Family Members.





Codeshare agreements {||- valign="top"|| | |}

Subsidiaries Gulf Traveller The company's all Ecomony class airline Gulf Traveller ceased operations in April 2007, the pull out of Abu Dhabi followed by Oman and the restructuring of Gulf Air with the phasing out of its 767 fleet as well as some other types have all played part in rendering this airlines operations unfeasible according to business plans.

Sponsored events Gulf Air sponsors many events, of which the most prestigious is the gulfair Bahrain Grand Prix. This is usually the first race of the Formula One season and is held in March or April of each year.

23-25 April 2006: 7th Omani Song Festival. This festival was aimed at spreading awareness and promoting Oman’s musical and cultural heritage. Venue: Al Bustan Palace Hotel, Oman.

Livery [2003 - Predominantly white with a smaller golden falcon at the tail on a background of red, green and maroon stripes which represented the original four owner states of the Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the UAE. [2003 - Fully gold at the front portion with white after it. A large redesigned falcon at the tail completes the new look Gulf Air projects.http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRheft/FRH0306/FR0306g.htm

Fleet refurbishment Gulf is undergoing a fleet refurbishment and considering either Boeing 787s or Airbus A350s on option, to replace its Boeing 767 aircraft which are to be phased out by 2009.

A330 Interior refurbishment The fleet of A330 aircraft underwent refurbishment which was completed in June 2005. All A330 aircraft now have the Gulf Air Sky Beds in First and Business Class Cabins.

*The First Class cabin seating configuration is 1-2-1 and accommodates 8 passengers. It has an 80-inch pitch and 25-inch width bed with 180-degree recline. The Class 180 seat also converts to a full size bed. Individual screen size: 15-inch.

*The Business Class cabin seating configuration is 2-2-2 and accommodates 24 passengers. It has an 63-inch pitch and 24-inch width bed with 163-degree recline. Individual screen size: 10.4-inch.

*The Economy Class cabin seating configuration is 2-4-2 and accommodates 183 passengers. It has a 32-34-inch pitch and 18-inch seat width with 102-degree recline. Individual screen size: 6.5-inch.

A340 Interior refurbishment Part of the A340 fleet underwent refurbishment which was completed in August 2006. The A340-312 (Version A) aircraft still have not been refurbished although all A340-300 aircraft now have the Gulf Air Sky Beds in First and Business Class Cabins.

A340-300 Details (Version B)

*The First Class cabin seating configuration is 1-2-1 and accommodates 8 passengers. It has an 80-inch pitch and 25-inch width bed with 180-degree recline. The Class 180 seat also converts to a full size bed. Individual screen size: 15-inch.

*The Business Class cabin seating configuration is 2-2-2 and accommodates 24 passengers. It has an 73-inch pitch and 24-inch width bed with 169-degree recline. Individual screen size: 10.4-inch.

*The Economy Class cabin seating configuration is 2-4-2 and accommodates 217 passengers. It has a 32-34-inch pitch and 18-inch seat width with 102-degree recline. Individual screen size: 6.5-inch.

Incidents and accidents 23 September 1983 http://www.pbs.org/kcet/chasingthesun/planes/l1011.html *Location: Near Mina Jebel Ali, UAE *Flight #: GF771 *Route: Karachi - Abu Dhabi *Air Craft Type: Boeing 737-2P6 *Registration: A40-BK *Aboard: 112 (passengers:107 crew:5) *Fatalities: 112 (passengers:107 crew:5) *Summary: The aircraft crashed into the desert after a distress message and during an emergency landing attempt. This was due to the detonation of an explosive device in the baggage compartment.

23 August 2000 *Location: Coast of Manama, Bahrain *Flight #: GF072 *Route: Cairo - Bahrain *Air Craft Type: Airbus A320-212 *Registration: A4O-EK *Aboard: 143 (passengers:135 crew:8) *Fatalities: 143 (passengers:135 crew:8) *Summary: The aircraft crashed into the Persian Gulf while attempting to land at Bahrain International Airport. The crew decided to perform a missed approach after it was determined the aircraft was coming in too high and fast. Instructions were given for a 180 degree turn and climb to 2,500 feet. While performing the missed approach the plane suddenly descended rapidly from an altitude of 1,000 feet and crashed into the shallow waters of the gulf approximately 1 mile from the airport.

External links

References




{{Infobox_Airline |airline=Gulf Air|logo=Gulf_Air_logo.png|logo_size=200px|fleet_size=27|destinations=40|IATA=GF|ICAO=GFA|callsign=GULF AIR|hubs=Bahrain International Airport, [Bahrain|frequent_flyer= Gulf Air Frequent Flyer Programme|lounge=First and Business Class Lounge (no member lounges)|website= http://www.gulfair.com|-->

Gulf Air ([Arabic language: طيران الخليج) is the national carrier for the Bahrain. The airline operates international scheduled services to over 38 destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Far East. Its main base is Bahrain International Airport.Flight International 3 April 2007 The company's logo features a golden falcon.

The airline is not part of an airline alliance but is part of the Oneworld global explorer fare. It has extensive codeshare services with other airlines and special partnerships with Jet Airways and Oman Air's Frequent Flyer Programmes.

History In the late 1940s, Freddie Bosworth (a British pilot) began an air taxi service to Doha and Dhahran from Bahrain. Bosworth later expanded this service and on the 24 March 1950, he registered Gulf Aviation as a private share-holding company. Seven Avro Ansons and 3 De Havilland Express 4-engine biplanes formed the fleet, but more modern aircraft were needed. Bosworth chose the De Havilland Dove but while preparing to introduce the type into service he was killed on a demonstration flight at Croydon on 9 June 1951.

In October 1951 British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) became a major shareholder in Gulf Aviation, holding a 22% stake. Gulf Aviation began services to London in April 1970 with a Vickers VC10 and, with the introduction of BOAC, saw a succession of updated aircraft entering the fleet.

at London Heathrow Airport in 1977

The turning point for Gulf Aviation came in 1973 when the governments of the Kingdom of Bahrain, State of Qatar, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Sultanate of Oman purchased BOAC's shares in Gulf Aviation. The Foundation Treaty signed on 1 January 1974 gave each government a 25% shareholding in the re-branded Gulf Air, which became the national carrier for the four states in the Persian Gulf. Later that year, the airline's onngoing support of oil exploration resulted in the establishment of the wholly owned Gulf Helicopters subsidiary.

With leased Lockheed L-1011 and Boeing 737s joining the fleet, by 1976 Gulf Air had expanded its route network to include: Amman, Amsterdam, Athens, Baghdad, Bangkok, Beirut, Cairo, Colombo, Delhi, Dhaka, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Khartoum, Larnaca, Manila, Paris, Ras al-Khaimah and San‘a’. The fleet comprised 4 Vickers VC10s, 3 BAC One-Elevens, 2 Lockheed L-1011s, and 5 Boeing 737s. Two years later the Tristar fleet had doubled, replacing the VC10s, and the Boeing 737s had increased to 9, resulting in the phasing out of the One-Elevens.

The 1980s saw an increase in air travel and growth for Gulf Air. In 1981 Gulf Air became an IATA member and in the following year became the first international airline to land at Riyadh. In 1988 the Boeing 767s joined the fleet and services to Frankfurt, Istanbul, Damascus, Dar es Salaam, Fujairah and Nairobi were launched, with services to Shiraz and Baghdad resumed.

Gulf Air celebrated its 40th anniversary in 1990 . The light blue and peach Balenciaga-designed uniform was introduced. Singapore, Sydney and Thiruvananthapuram were launched and Gulf Air became the first Arab airline to fly to Australia. Gulf Air added Johannesburg and Melbourne to its network (1992), becoming the first Arab airline to fly directly to these cities. The following year it opened up a Flight Simulator Centre in Qatar. The same year saw the introduction of services to Casablanca, Entebbe, Jakarta, Kilimanjaro, Madras, Rome, San'a', Zanzibar, and Zürich.

In May 1994 , Gulf Air received its first Airbus A340. Gulf Air introduced a no-smoking policy on flights to Singapore and Australia in 1998 which later extended throughout its whole network. In 1999 , Gulf Air also launched three new routes in North Pakistan: Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar. It also took delivery of two (out of six) Airbus A330 aircraft and a new Balmain uniform was introduced.

, displaying the 50th anniversary designs.

21st century In 2000 the airline celebrated its 50th Anniversary and took delivery of the remaining Airbus A330-200 aircraft in June of that year, it also launched services to Milan. In May 2002 , James Hogan was announced President and CEO of Gulf Air and instigated a three year restructuring and turnaround programme, which was launched in response to a drastic fall in profits at the company and ever-increasing debt. The Gulf Air Board unanimously approved the three-year recovery plan at the Extraordinary General Meeting held on 18 December. This month also saw the withdrawal of the State of Qatar from Gulf Air. In 2003 Gulf Air introduced a new Landor Associates designed livery. June 1 2003 saw the establishment of Gulf Traveller, a subsidiary all-economy full-service airline.

Gulf Air also announced a sponsorship deal for the Bahrain Grand Prix which will last until 2010 . This deal created the Gulfair Bahrain Grand Prix, of which the first was staged in 2004 . Gulf Air also introduced direct daily flights to Athens and Sydney, via Singapore, on 23 November 2003.

In 2004, Gulf Air introduced direct flights between Dubai and London and Muscat and London, and a daily service between Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah and showed strong growth as it carried a record 7.5 million passengers during this year. Gulf Air's sponsorship of the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix continued to prove worthehile for the airline, with a record crowd, a global TV audience as well as a record number of passengers being carried to the Kingdom by the airline.

A return to profit was announced, with the best financial performance since 1997 . Despite a BD30 million (USD80 million) cost to the business through fuel price rises during the year, Gulf Air recorded a profit of BD1.5 million (USD4.0 million) in the calendar year to December 2004, on revenues up 23.8% to BD476.3 million (USD1.26 billion) (2003: BD 384.6 million / USD1,020.2 million). The results meant the airline out-performed the targets set under Project Falcon, the three-year restructuring plan approved by the Board in December 2002.

The owner states of Gulf Air at that time - the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Sultanate of Oman - confirmed their support for further expansion of the airline, through a new three-year strategic plan which would include re-equipment of the aircraft fleet and recapitalisation of the business through private sector financing. Gulf Air was also placed on the IOSA registry following its successful completion of the International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).

takes off. The undercarriage is retracting

The new summer schedule commencing 28 April 2006 saw the complete withdrawal of Abu Dhabi as a hub following the decision on the 13 September 2005, by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, to withdraw from Gulf Air and establish its own airline, Etihad Airways. Gulf Air changed its operations to a dual hub basis between Bahrain and Muscat airports. The airline produced a series of adverts in local newspapers thanking Abu Dhabi for its contribution to Gulf Air. Due to the airline being the national carrier for the United Arab Emirates for over 35 years, it has a large customer base located in this country. Gulf Air endeavoured to show the continuing support for flights to Abu Dhabi from Bahrain and Muscat, connecting to the rest of the Gulf Air network via adverts placed in local newspapers.

Gulf Air has an aircraft simulator facility at its Bahrain Headquarters. The BD3.5 million facility will offer real-time, simulated on-board training to pilots on Boeing 767, Airbus A320 family aircraft and A330/340 in three flight simulators.

On the 27 April 2006, the Governments of Bahrain and Thailand signed an 'Open Skies' agreement which allowed an unlimited and unrestricted number of flights between the two nations. Gulf Air operates daily flights to Bangkok from Bahrain, with four flights a week from Muscat. With this new agreement in place, Gulf Air will double its frequency to Thailand by July 2006, with 14 flights a week between Bahrain and Thailand.

James Hogan resigned his position as President and Chief Executive Officer (PCE) as of October 1, 2006, and has since taken the position of CEO at rival airline Etihad Airways. Ahmed Al Hammadi was named acting CEO until Swiss national André Dosé (former CEO of Crossair and Swiss International Air Lines) took on April 1 2007. A few days later, he announced a BD310 million (USD825 million) restructuring plan which included: all flights originate from or arrive at Bahrain; routes to Johannesburg, Dublin, Jakarta, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sydney cancelled; withdrawal of the nine Boeing 767 from the fleet; phased withdrawal of the Airbus A340-300 from the fleet; introduction of the Airbus A321 in July 2007 and of the Airbus A330 in 2009 and layoffs that will not differentiate between employees' nationalities but will be solely performance-based. This led to some employees applying for jobs in other airlines, and in less than a month Gulf Air lost 500 persons from its workforce. This rapid decline of personnel required a senior official to state that "Gulf Air will not be sacking any staff under its recovery plan, but it will be weeding out those who don't do their jobs". The airline is aiming at cutting its workforce by 25 percent through people leaving naturally or accepting voluntary early retirement packages, and the company has a recruitment freeze till further notice.



On May 6 2007, the government of Bahrain claimed 100% ownership of the airline as joint-owner Oman withdrew from the airline. André Dosé resigned on July 23, 2007.http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=496507&Itemid=1

Cabin upgrades would also be implemented as follows:

First Class CabinSky beds across the entire long-haul fleet/Install state-of-the art in-flight entertainment system/Implement latest soft furnishings specification to cabin interiors (Airbus A340 fleet) since their withdrawal in 2006.Business Class CabinFeature fully lie-flat seats across the entire wide-bodied fleet/Replace and improve seat pitch on the entire narrow-bodied fleet/Install state-of-the art in-flight entertainment system

Economy ClassReplace economy seats with state-of-art “lighter-weight” seats across the entire fleet/Feature state-of-the art in-flight entertainment system with “seat back” personal video screens

Awards won By Gulf Air in 2007: *1st place - Best economy class food (2007) *1st place - Most Leg Space in economy class (2007) *1st place - Best Fare In The Middle East (2007)

Destinations See full article: Gulf Air destinations

Gulf Air are planning to start service to Colombo, Shanghai, Zurich from winter 2007. Gulf Air flights from Bahrain to Dar es Salaam are expected to start next year, schedules are being finalised.

Fleet The Gulf Air fleet consists of the following aircraft as of August 2007:

Gulf Air has announced in May 2007 that it will reduce its fleet size to 25 by removing the Boeing 767 aircraft from the fleet as an attempt to cut down maintenance costs. The first leased Airbus A321-200 is to join the fleet in mid-October 2007 and possibly the addition of Boeing 737-800s.

Gulf Air has now stored the Boeing 767's. As of The 16th of September two remain in service, with one stored in Bahrain and the rest in Dublin.

Gulf Air has recently announced plans to order up to 10 wide bodied jets next month during the Dubai Air Show costing up to 3.5 billion Dirhams to cope with Bahrain's booming economy.

Gulf Air average fleet age is 11.9 years old in September 2007. Gulf Air Fleet age

Frequent Flyer Programme In 2003, Gulf Air launched the Gulf Air Frequent Flyer Programme (FFP), replacing the Falcon Frequent Flyer programme. The frequent flyer programme also won four awards at the 17th Annual Freddie Awards. These awards are decided by frequent travellers.

*1st Place - Best Award Redemption, Frequent Flyer Programme, Europe/Middle East/Africa *1st Place - Best Customer Service, Frequent Flyer Programme, Europe/Middle East/Africa *1st Place - Best Award, Frequent Flyer Programme, Europe/Middle East/Africa *1st Place - Best Website, Frequent Flyer Programme, Europe/Middle East/Africa

Gulf Air offers frequent flyer partnerships with the following airlines:



Gulf Air also offers frequent flyer partnerships with the following car rental agencies:



Program levels Gulf Air FFP members are entitled to the following benefits listed below. These benefits do not apply to Family Members.





Codeshare agreements {||- valign="top"|| | |}

Subsidiaries Gulf Traveller The company's all Ecomony class airline Gulf Traveller ceased operations in April 2007, the pull out of Abu Dhabi followed by Oman and the restructuring of Gulf Air with the phasing out of its 767 fleet as well as some other types have all played part in rendering this airlines operations unfeasible according to business plans.

Sponsored events Gulf Air sponsors many events, of which the most prestigious is the gulfair Bahrain Grand Prix. This is usually the first race of the Formula One season and is held in March or April of each year.

23-25 April 2006: 7th Omani Song Festival. This festival was aimed at spreading awareness and promoting Oman’s musical and cultural heritage. Venue: Al Bustan Palace Hotel, Oman.

Livery [2003 - Predominantly white with a smaller golden falcon at the tail on a background of red, green and maroon stripes which represented the original four owner states of the Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the UAE. [2003 - Fully gold at the front portion with white after it. A large redesigned falcon at the tail completes the new look Gulf Air projects.http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRheft/FRH0306/FR0306g.htm

Fleet refurbishment Gulf is undergoing a fleet refurbishment and considering either Boeing 787s or Airbus A350s on option, to replace its Boeing 767 aircraft which are to be phased out by 2009.

A330 Interior refurbishment The fleet of A330 aircraft underwent refurbishment which was completed in June 2005. All A330 aircraft now have the Gulf Air Sky Beds in First and Business Class Cabins.

*The First Class cabin seating configuration is 1-2-1 and accommodates 8 passengers. It has an 80-inch pitch and 25-inch width bed with 180-degree recline. The Class 180 seat also converts to a full size bed. Individual screen size: 15-inch.

*The Business Class cabin seating configuration is 2-2-2 and accommodates 24 passengers. It has an 63-inch pitch and 24-inch width bed with 163-degree recline. Individual screen size: 10.4-inch.

*The Economy Class cabin seating configuration is 2-4-2 and accommodates 183 passengers. It has a 32-34-inch pitch and 18-inch seat width with 102-degree recline. Individual screen size: 6.5-inch.

A340 Interior refurbishment Part of the A340 fleet underwent refurbishment which was completed in August 2006. The A340-312 (Version A) aircraft still have not been refurbished although all A340-300 aircraft now have the Gulf Air Sky Beds in First and Business Class Cabins.

A340-300 Details (Version B)

*The First Class cabin seating configuration is 1-2-1 and accommodates 8 passengers. It has an 80-inch pitch and 25-inch width bed with 180-degree recline. The Class 180 seat also converts to a full size bed. Individual screen size: 15-inch.

*The Business Class cabin seating configuration is 2-2-2 and accommodates 24 passengers. It has an 73-inch pitch and 24-inch width bed with 169-degree recline. Individual screen size: 10.4-inch.

*The Economy Class cabin seating configuration is 2-4-2 and accommodates 217 passengers. It has a 32-34-inch pitch and 18-inch seat width with 102-degree recline. Individual screen size: 6.5-inch.

Incidents and accidents 23 September 1983 http://www.pbs.org/kcet/chasingthesun/planes/l1011.html *Location: Near Mina Jebel Ali, UAE *Flight #: GF771 *Route: Karachi - Abu Dhabi *Air Craft Type: Boeing 737-2P6 *Registration: A40-BK *Aboard: 112 (passengers:107 crew:5) *Fatalities: 112 (passengers:107 crew:5) *Summary: The aircraft crashed into the desert after a distress message and during an emergency landing attempt. This was due to the detonation of an explosive device in the baggage compartment.

23 August 2000 *Location: Coast of Manama, Bahrain *Flight #: GF072 *Route: Cairo - Bahrain *Air Craft Type: Airbus A320-212 *Registration: A4O-EK *Aboard: 143 (passengers:135 crew:8) *Fatalities: 143 (passengers:135 crew:8) *Summary: The aircraft crashed into the Persian Gulf while attempting to land at Bahrain International Airport. The crew decided to perform a missed approach after it was determined the aircraft was coming in too high and fast. Instructions were given for a 180 degree turn and climb to 2,500 feet. While performing the missed approach the plane suddenly descended rapidly from an altitude of 1,000 feet and crashed into the shallow waters of the gulf approximately 1 mile from the airport.

External links

References






Gulf Air - Career Site
Welcome to the Gulf Air Careers website Gulf Air, the flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the airline with the biggest network in the Middle East is also a people ...

Flights Bookings with Lowest Fares Guaranteed, Hotels and Car Rentals ...
Gulf Air offers flights with Lowest Fares Guaranteed. Visit Gulfair.com to book your flights, hotels and cars. Find more information about schedule, destination guides, Airports ...

GULF1351 - Non Type Rated First Officers for A320 Fleet - Gulf Air
About Gulf Air: Gulf Air, the national airline of the Kingdom of Bahrain, is embarking on an exciting new era of change. With over 55 years of celebrated pioneering history in the ...

Gulf Air - Airline Finder by Just the Flight
Cheap air tickets online and flight reservations with Gulf Air. The Just the Flight Airline Finder provides details of scheduled or charter flight airports served by Gulf Air and ...

Discounted Gulf Air Airfares from Travelbag | Fly Gulf Air
Book a cheap Gulf Air flight with Travelbag, enjoy the low airfares and fly the Gulf way! ... Your rendezvous with luxury begins the moment you book a flight with Gulf Air.

Gulf Air - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gulf Air (Arabic: طيران الخليج ‎) is the flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The airline operates scheduled services to over 40 destinations in Africa, Asia ...

BBC NEWS | Business | Gulf Air joins budget airline trend
Debt-ridden regional carrier Gulf Air launches a cheap, no-frills subsidiary aimed at South Asians working in the region.

Gulf Air jobs
Click here for Gulf Air jobs Gulf Air, the national airline of the Kingdom of Bahrain , is embarking on an exciting new era of change. With over 55 years experience and the best ...

GULF AIR Reviews and Gulf Air Passenger Opinions about Gulf Air ...
GULF AIR Reviews and Gulf Air Passenger Opinions about Gulf Air product and Gulf Air service standards, Gulf Air flights, cabin staff and Gulf Air Product and Service standards.

Sky Nanny - Bahrain Airline - Gulf Air
Read about Gulf Air's dedicated sky nanny service, helping to make the journey more comfortable for those travelling with children. Find out more about Gulf Air's sky nanny service

 

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