*** Breaking News – Gulf Air axes Sydney services***
As exclusively anticipated in Thursday’s TravelMole, the Deputy Chairman of Gulf Air, Mahmood Al Kooheji has announced in an interview in the Middle East on Friday that the airline’s services to Sydney, Dublin and Johannesburg will be stopped.
As reported exclusively in TravelMole on Thursday, the decision is part of the troubled carrier’s newly appointed CEO’s plans to stem massive losses and streamline its services, which also includes replacing some of its fleet with leased aircraft as part of this latest cost-cutting drive.
Mr Mhanmood Al Kooheji told media that the airline has started negotiations to lease three Airbus planes at rates of $200,000 to $250,000 per month, replacing three of the nine Boeing 767s, which will be dropped from its fleet in a restructuring effort.
He added, “The losses at the airline were because of inefficiency, mainly network inefficiency.”
Bahrain-based Australian Trade Commission consultant Chris Jenkins was reported to be sad to hear the daily service to Sydney would no longer be an option for Bahrain’s 800-strong Australian population, saying, “I am disappointed Gulf Air is to stop the service, while of course understanding the reasons behind it,” adding, “However the ending of the service is unlikely to have much impact on the burgeoning trade ties between Australia and the region”.
He also said, “It’s disappointing, but I believe over the next year the flights from this part of the world to Australia are being almost doubled, by airlines like Etihad and Emirates”, adding, traffic between the region and Australia is increasing dramatically.”
Ireland’s diplomatic representative in Bahrain, Honorary Consul Tony Scannell told Middle Eastern media GDN that the three-times a week Dublin route would be missed, adding, “This is the first I have heard of this,” “A lot of people use the service and it has been a great addition to the travel options for the Irish community living in Bahrain.” “We would all be disappointed to hear it was scrapped – I need to get information from Gulf Air.”
The airline announced the Sydney service in 2003, making it only the second airline from the Gulf to enter the Australian market and the airline’s public statements giving the impression the Dublin and Sydney routes were successful, with last year, Gulf Air GM Shaikh Bader bin Salman Al Khalifa saying flights on the Dublin route were 75% full and as recently as February of this year a spokesperson said the Sydney-Bahrain service was doing “extremely well”.
Middle East media says that the stage is now set for a press conference to be held this week when the full details of Gulf Air’s restructuring plan and whether the downsizing will mean substantial job cuts will be made clear, with a Gulf Air spokesperson declining to add to Mr Al Kooheji’s comments.
The date of the termination of services has not been announced.
Report by The Mole from reports by www.arabbusiness.com and Gulf Daily News
John Alwyn-Jones
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