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Jazeera Airways set to shake up Middle East startup Jazeera Airways plans to operate its first flights on Nov. 16.The Kuwait-based LCC initially will operate about 30 flights per week to Dubai, Damascus, Amman, Beirut and Bahrain. This will rise to more than 75 weekly flights with the addition of destinations in Egypt, India and Southeast Asia. Boodai said he expects Jazeera Airways will carry 500,000 passengers annually by early 2007 upon completion of its fleet. It has ordered eight A320s including four options and in June announced it had secured financing for the purchase of its first four A320s from a syndicate of banks comprising DVB Bank, Natexis Banques Populaires and Kuwait Finance House. The first aircraft arrives around Oct. 25, a second on Nov. 4 and two more in June 2006. Jazeera Airways is a Kuwait Public Shareholding Company established in 2004 with capital of KD10 million ($34 million) raised through an IPO, making it the only privately owned airline in the Middle East. It uses the Navitaire reservation system and passengers can book online, by phone, via SMS or through travel agents. Lufthansa Technik has been contracted for on-site and off-site maintenance. The LCC will be the first local competitor to Kuwait Airways and will end the national flag carrier's monopoly on flights to and from Kuwait. It is the latest in a string of Arabian startups: In July Al Khayala, a luxury airline, started operations in Saudi Arabia while United Arab Emirates-based Air Arabia, the Gulf's first budget carrier, was established in 2003 along with Etihad, based in Abu Dhabi. 15 Set 2005 |
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