JEDDAH, 9 December 2004 — Gulf Air has officially announced the appointment of Kanoo Travel as the airline’s representatives for Saudi Arabia, as part of its three-year restructuring strategy.
With this appointment, the airline has moved into new offices in Jeddah yesterday and in Alkhobar earlier on Saturday.
“We’re happy to open the new office today, which will be marked by enhanced service excellence,” Khalid M. Kanoo, group managing director of the Bahrain-based Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo, told Arab News after he unveiled a plaque to mark the opening of Gulf Air’s new office at Al Kharji Center on Madinah Road. Aside from local officials, diplomats from Bahrain, the UAE and Qatar, senior executives of the Kanoo group including Ali Abdullah Kanoo and Ali Abdul Aziz Kanoo, and airline and travel agency representatives were among those present.
Gulf Air President and Chief Executive James Hogan opened the new office in Alkhobar, at Al Moosa Complex on King Faisal ibn Abdul Aziz Road, with Abdullah Ali Kanoo, chairman and CEO of Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo, and Mubarak Kanoo, deputy chairman of the group.
“We’re delighted with this new partnership, as the Kanoo family is one of the most respected names in air travel with a history stretching back close to 70 years. The moves are part of the airline’s phased plan to relocate into 12 more new offices throughout the Kingdom,” Fareed Saeed Al Alawi, Gulf Air’s vice president-network, said.
“Gulf Air has gone through unprecedented changes over the last year-and-a-half and we’re proving, now more than ever, that we’re better for business and leisure travelers,” Al Alawi said. The airline, which has code share agreements with certain airlines for passenger transport, now has similar arrangements for cargo transport as well.
“In the last 18 months, we’ve introduced many groundbreaking and award-winning new services for our premium travelers, including sky chefs in first class, new menus, new departure and arrival lounges across the network, and new chauffeur and fast track check-in facilities,” Al Alawi said.
“Kanoo Travel has the same aspirations as Gulf Air, namely to provide the most comprehensive and specialized services in the travel industry. This dedication has led the company to receive a large number of quality awards and achievements all of which guarantee the highest levels of service and satisfaction,” he added.
Gulf Air’s General Manager Hamza Mohammad Sharif said Kanoo Travel officially became its general sales agent (GSA) in the Western Province from Nov. 11. Kanoo had already been the GSA for the airline in the Central and Eastern Provinces.
The airline will open offices in seven cities in the Western province, including in Makkah, Madinah, Yanbu, Taif, Abha and Tabuk.
Kanoo Travel is the largest travel company in the Middle East, with a team of travel specialists, operating a network of over 140 offices in the region, and through a global network of world class travel partners.
Investment in the Gulf Air brand, in its people, services and equipment will continue, and as such the $10 million investment in new first and business seats is on schedule for roll out in February 2005. The new sky beds are to be installed as part of a complete cabin refurbishment, which starts in February and will include the enhancement of in-flight entertainment systems. The first refurbished aircraft will be in operation from March, serving destinations including London, Frankfurt and Paris. The full refit program will be complete by July.
“We’ll come through 2004, bruised but not bloodied thanks to the changes we’ve made over the past two years. However, 2005 presents a totally new proposition. If fuel prices stay at the exceptionally higher levels we’ve seen in 2004, we’ll have to consider additional measures to counter the cost overrun,” Hogan said.