Oman officially exits Gulf Air

3033 Views 17 Replies 11 Participants Last post by Omaro, Dec 25, 2007

Pearl of the Gulf

Discussion Starter · May 5, 2007

Its final, oman handed bahrain an official request to fully exit gulf air.

this could either be really good or really bad; sad to say i'm very pessimistic.

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

relâmpago

· #2 · May 5, 2007

So bahrain is the only country in Gulf Air now?

Gulf Air probably had it coming for a lot of years. Not real attention was paid to it as I saw when I took it couple of years back unlike other middle eastern airlines.

Pearl of the Gulf

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 5, 2007

^^ yes bahraini government is now the sole owner of gulf air.

BNA 05/05/2007

MANAMA, MAY 5 (BNA) -- OMAN HAS COMPLETELY WITHDRAWN FROM GULF AIR EFFECTIVE TODAY.

A FORMAL LETTER EXPRESSING TO BAHRAIN ITS DESIRE TO FULLY WITHDRAW FROM THE AIRLINE WAS HANDED OVER TO THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND BOARD CHAIRMAN OF THE BAHRAIN MUMTALAKAT HOLDING COMPANY, SHAIKH AHMED BIN MOHAMMED AL KHALIFA, THIS MORNING BY THE VISITING OMANI MINISTER OF NATIONAL ECONOMY AND VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE FINANCIAL AFFAIRS AND ENERGY RESOURCES, AHMED BIN ABDUL NABI MAKKI.

THE WITHDRAWAL PROCEDURE WILL BE SET IN MOTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 22 OF THE COMPANYS RULES.

IN THIS CONTEXT AN EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING OF GULF AIR WAS HELD WHERE ALL ITS CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TWO COUNTRIES WERE PRESENT.

IT WAS ALSO DECIDED TO FORM A COMMITTEE WITH MEMBERS FROM BOTH COUNTRIES TO ASSESS THE ASSETS AND LIABILITIES WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF THE WITHDRAWAL DATE.

THE COMMITTEE WILL ALSO OVERSEE THE TRANSFER OF THE AIRLINES OWNERSHIP TO BAHRAIN.

THE MEETING ALSO DECIDED THAT THE COMPANY WILL BE COMPLETELY MANAGED BY BAHRAIN.

SHAIKH AHMED PRAISED THE ROLE PLAYED BY OMAN IN SUPPORTING THE AIRLINE SINCE ITS INCEPTION MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO WHICH, HE SAID, REFLECTED THE DEPTH OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.

THE OMANI DELEGATION INCLUDED MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS AND GULF AIR BOARD CHAIRMAN SHAIKH MOHAMMED BIN ABDULLAH AL HARTHY DARWISH BIN ISMAIL AL BALUSHI, SECRETARY- GENERAL OF THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND BOARD MEMBER MOHAMMED BIN SAKHAR AL AMRI, UNDERSECRETARY OF CIVIL AVIATION AND BOARD MEMBER AND RASHID BIN SALIM AL RASHIDI, COORDINATOR OF THE OFFICE OF THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL ECONOMY.

ATTENDING THE MEETING FROM THE BAHRAINI
SIDE WERE SHAIKH MOHAMMED
BIN ISA AL KHALIFA, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD
AND MEMBER OF THE BAHRAIN MUMTALAKAT
HOLDING COMPANY MAHMOUD HASHEM
AL KOHEJI, DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE
HOLDING COMPANY AND MEMBER OF
THE GULF AIR BOARD AND JAWAD HABIB
JAWAD AND KHALID AL RUMAIHI, BOTH
BOARD MEMBERS.

http://english.bna.bh/?ID=58098

B-Patriot

· #4 · May 5, 2007

Wow.. We have our own airline =S

LoL... We all knew it was inevitable.. But somehow i didn't expect it to happen so soon!

Wild el Bahrain

· #5 · May 6, 2007

Lets hope this is a new era in the airline history...I agree this could go both ways as there was lots of corruption from every entity owner.

They really need to do alot to turn this one around,but its doable

Riyadhi

· #6 · May 6, 2007

First Abu Dhabi and now Oman! What's happening to Gulf Air?

Halawala

· #7 · May 6, 2007

Good news, now at least GF will focus on one HUB and hopefully become profitable. BTW, there are HUGE changes in Gulf Air starting this summer.

CrazY

· #8 · May 6, 2007 (Edited)

so now they should change the name to Bahrain Air or Air Bahrain,, which sounds nice, with red coloured airplanes

lol cool

Riyadhi

· #9 · May 6, 2007

Maybe they can put the Bahraini flag on the planes but they should not change the name nor the livery.

B-Patriot

· #10 · May 6, 2007

Riyadhi said:
First Abu Dhabi and now Oman! What's happening to Gulf Air?

No, first Qatar, then Abu Dhabi, then Oman...

And, i wouldnt like to see it be named Bahrain Air or something.. that's soo like.. Silly... Qatar Airways.. Emirates.. Kuwait.. we want a diff name..

If they change the name, or start a new company.. SHould be something creative.. Not soo expected... Like, i dunno.. Maybe Dilmun Air.. LoL

I hear the company is in chaos.. The beginning of the end... Many people supposedly leaving it cuz the future is too uncertain...

hno:

We'll see.. I don't think the gov. will allow the airline to collapse.. They'll pump it up with a lot of money and turn it around..

Riyadhi

· #11 · May 6, 2007

I think they have a chance to make profits if they market their services in the Saudi Arabia and the Eastern providence in particular. A good idea is to increase the flights from and to Jeddah and Riyadh so that the Saudis will use it as if it is a local carrier. Bahrain airport already has the advantages of location and services over King Fahd Airport.

B-Patriot

· #12 · May 6, 2007

Having Oman as a co-owner wasn't the best thing.. Because from what i unserstand, they used to demand the same connections, flights Bahrain had.. If Gulf Air flew from Bahrain to Paris.. Oman demanded the same.. So there were un-profitable routes.. And there were too many transits in Oman from Bahraiin.. There was no proper longterm planning either, i think..

Now all that can change, with the 'regime change', and Oman pulling out..

Bahraini Spirit

· #13 · May 6, 2007

Well given the corrupt bosses that ran this company over the years (no need to mention who) and unfortunately took it from glory to near demise, I think this move could be the lifeline for the company. To be honest, yes it would mean more money injected if 4 different parties support the airline, but if 3 are focused on other plans, there is no point in them staying.

As Halawala said, Bahrain will be the hub so from that perspective, it's better for the airline and Bahrain airport.

I just hope that Bahrain will take control of the situation without uncalled for problems.

Garden city

· #14 · May 7, 2007

Gulf air needs improvement

relâmpago said:
So bahrain is the only country in Gulf Air now?

Gulf Air probably had it coming for a lot of years. Not real attention was paid to it as I saw when I took it couple of years back unlike other middle eastern airlines.

I totally agree on this one. Infact i have taken Gulf air couple of times from Bangalore and Delhi to Bahrain and the service has been consistently sad. I usually end up planning my visits to Bahrain on short notice and do not have many options except for taking Gulf Air.

I hope the new management would take some firms actions. They should provide good service to high traffic routes so that it would generate some customer loyalty.

Qatar Son 333

· #15 · May 14, 2007

B-Patriot said:
No, first Qatar, then Abu Dhabi, then Oman...

And, i wouldnt like to see it be named Bahrain Air or something.. that's soo like.. Silly... Qatar Airways.. Emirates.. Kuwait.. we want a diff name..

If they change the name, or start a new company.. SHould be something creative.. Not soo expected... Like, i dunno.. Maybe Dilmun Air.. LoL

I hear the company is in chaos.. The beginning of the end... Many people supposedly leaving it cuz the future is too uncertain... hno:

We'll see.. I don't think the gov. will allow the airline to collapse.. They'll pump it up with a lot of money and turn it around..

aacctully now its QATAR not Qatar Airways

Omaro

· #16 · Dec 25, 2007

I remember reading thar the airline was making losses of $1 million per day, but it has undergone restructuring, any change in the fortunes? Are Gulf Air going to be sold off or something since there is another airline now?

B-Patriot

· #17 · Dec 25, 2007

Still a lot of losses per day, not sure how much... The new airline has very little to do with gulf-air or its future... Its a private-sector low cost airline... Gulf Air would never be sold off, but some shares may very will be offered to the public (i think its been discussed)...

Omaro

· #18 · Dec 25, 2007

^^ I wonder how much money are they going to generate with offering shares, the company is not doing particularly well to attract shareholders and investments! But on the other hand, not many airlines are doing THAT well nowadays, 9/11 messed the whole industry up

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