Gulf Air launches of services to 3 destinations

Making a bid to regain its lost ground, Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air has embarked upon an expansion spree. Addressing the media in Dubai on Wednesday, the management announced the launch of services to three new destinations - Rome, the Italian capital; Entebbe, the hub of Uganda’s commercial sector; and Juba, the capital of newly independent country South Sudan.Services to Rome will begin from Nov.30 with four flights per week, Entebbe on Dec.5 with four weekly flights and to Juba from Feb.7, 2012, with three flights per week.Gulf Air Chief Commercial Officer Karim Makhlouf said that the airline has the biggest network in the Middle East and wishes to give advantage to the residents. He said that Bahrain is the fastest transit hub in the region, adding that flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Bahrain provide onward connectivity to over 40 destinations on the airline’s network, which is a great advantage for corporate travellers.“Customers have become more discerning these days and their travel preferences and needs keep changing. Our commercial initiatives and the launch of new routes are aimed at meeting their expectations,” said Makhlouf.“We have acquired new narrow-body aircrafts to serve the region better, instead of wide-body aircrafts because our business model is different from regional competitors who focus on long haul flights,” he added. Saad Al Kineey, UAE Commercial Manager, was also present on the occasion.The airline has acquired 10 new aircrafts last year, making its fleet one of the youngest in the region with average age of 6.4 years. From / Gulf Today