Jazeera Airways registered a net profit of KD4 million in Q1, an increase of 33 percent from the same quarter last year, according to its financial results for the first quarter.

In Q1, 2016, its operating revenue was KD11.9 million, less 7.8 percent from Q1 2015; passengers up 5.1 percent from Q1 2015; load factor up 2.4 percent from Q1, 2015; and on-time performance 90.9 percent.

Jazeera Airways Chairman Marwan Boodai said: “We’ve had a busy and exciting quarter as we lay the groundwork for the growth and expansion of our offering in 2016 and beyond. Soon we will start flights to Taif, our third destination in Saudi Arabia, with the first flight scheduled for June 7.”

On the product development front, he added: “We kicked off various construction programs for initiatives that fall under our "The Next Big Thing" strategy launched earlier in February, and we are on track to deliver starting with the dedicated business class at Kuwait International Airport and the remote check-in and long-term parking facility. These initiatives are in development today and are set to launch in the third quarter of this year.”

The Next Big Thing is described as a series of new ambitious and game-changing initiatives that will boost Jazeera Airways’ offering, reinforce its brand, and attract and retain more customers in 2016 and beyond.

He listed four new initiatives and how they will transform Jazeera Airways’ offering.

They include remote check-in and long-term parking currently in development, exclusive Business Class lounge with a view, also in development now, inflight broadband, and Jazeera Airways terminal.

The airline is in an advanced planning stage to establish a dedicated terminal at Kuwait International Airport, which will help Jazeera Airways better serve its travelers and help relieve the congestion at the country’s single-terminal airport.