Gulf Air’s resurgence has won praise from customers and the travel industry which voted it the “Best Middle East and North Africa Airline.”…
Gulf Air’s resurgence has won praise from customers and the travel industry which voted it the “Best Middle East and North Africa Airline.” The national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Sultanate of Oman and Emirate of Abu Dhabi received the top honour of a platinum award at the MENA awards ceremony on 6 May 2004.
In a spectacular year, Gulf Air is on a winning spree having also earned industry approval and recognition in the Airline Turnaround of the Year Award from the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation in 2003, and a nomination as a Superbrand in the UAE.
“I am very proud of the turnaround at Gulf Air and the positive recognition we are receiving,” said James Hogan. “In the face of immense challenges, not the least of which were the objectives set in our strategic transformation programme, we have performed well at every level and this award reaffirms our position in the market.”
One year on from the start of its transformation programme, Gulf Air’s innovation and excellence is being noticed throughout the region. Central to the airline’s transformation is its strategic focus on sales and marketing, yield management, improved services, and a restructured fleet and network with a view to delivering superior customer service and creating a truly world class airline.
The first year of the programme has been one of unprecedented change and innovation at Gulf Air resulting in a strengthened financial position and much higher market visibility. One of the most visible changes was the introduction, in April 2003, of a new corporate identity, which represents the more serious and fundamental changes taking place at every level in the airline.
“The market in which we operate has become increasingly competitive, which makes this award all the more valuable,” said James Hogan. “Receiving this award confirms that Gulf Air is meeting the challenges and competing effectively to provide the best possible service for our customers.”
Central to Gulf Air’s resurgence is the enhanced quality and range of products and services, differentiated to meet the diverse requirements and expectations of the multi-segmented market. This is evident in the introduction of the in-flight chef concept, which provides premium five star dining delivered by a team of trained chefs on selected long haul routes. Gulf Air’s introduction of the unique Sky Nanny service has received plaudits from industry commentators and customers alike. Other innovations include self-service electronic check-in kiosks at regional hubs, worldwide SMS notification technology and a downloadable version of the timetable – all firsts for a Middle Eastern airline. These services show the extent to which the airline is prepared to develop innovative new elements to win customers.
Through these and other momentous changes that are taking place, Gulf Air is demonstrating that it will go the extra mile to deliver on its commitment to provide a range of tailored services to its extensive mix of customers. One of the best possible indicators of the success of its strategy is evident in record passenger figures for 2003, when more than six million passengers flew on Gulf Air flights to more than 45 destinations in 34 countries around the network. This is the highest number ever carried in a single financial year, and represents an increase of half a million over the previous year.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
