Gulf Air Hosts UAE Ambassador
Gulf Air hosted Dr. Matar Hamed Al Niyadi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Kuwait, in a meeting that discussed the close Kuwaiti-UAE relations and the vital role played by direct air connectivity in supporting tourism, business, trade, and strengthening ties between the peoples of the two countries.
Over the past year, the airline significantly expanded its presence in the UAE, tripling its network of destinations from one to three, linking Kuwait with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Al Ain. It also continued to increase the number of flights in response to growing passenger demand, providing more travel options between Kuwait and major UAE cities.
Since launching flights to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, Gulf Air has carried over 60,000 passengers on these routes, reflecting the rising demand for direct flights to UAE destinations beyond Dubai and highlighting promising opportunities to further develop the airline’s network in the UAE market.
Gulf Air also maintained its commitment to serving the UAE market amid the unprecedented regional disruptions that affected the aviation sector earlier this year. Following the closure of Kuwait International Airport on February 28, the airline launched the “Barakah Initiative” and continued operations through an alternative operational model via the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, helping to sustain vital air connectivity for passengers during one of the most challenging periods for the regional aviation industry.
Parathan Pasupathy, CEO of Gulf Air, said: “The UAE is one of our most important regional markets and a core part of Gulf Air’s growth strategy. Last year, we expanded our UAE destination network from one to three cities and continued increasing flight frequencies in line with growing demand. Today, with 37 weekly flights connecting Kuwait to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Al Ain, we offer our customers broader travel choices while supporting strong travel flows, trade, and tourism between our two countries.”
He added: “Our commitment to the UAE market became particularly evident during the regional disruptions earlier this year. Despite exceptional circumstances and significant operational challenges, we implemented solutions to maintain passenger travel flows and sustain air connectivity with the UAE. Today, we see substantial opportunities for further growth and look forward to working closely with our partners in the UAE to strengthen these links in the coming years.”
For his part, Dr. Al Niyadi said: “Relations between the UAE and Kuwait are built on deep historical ties, close fraternal bonds, and established economic and social relationships. Air connectivity plays a crucial role in enhancing the closeness between our peoples and economies, supporting tourism, business, and various areas of cooperation between our two countries.”
The UAE Ambassador continued: “We welcome Gulf Air’s continuous expansion in the UAE, particularly through its routes serving Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Al Ain. This air connectivity and the travel options it provides positively contribute to further developing relations between our two brotherly countries, and we look forward to continued growth in these links in the future.”
Gulf Air has long maintained a close relationship with the UAE market, launching its first direct flights between Kuwait and Dubai in October 2005. Since then, it has continued investing in expanding its UAE destination network, strengthening short-haul air connectivity within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and offering comfortable, competitively priced travel options from Kuwait to key regional destinations.
