Planned new airline Kuwait National Airways said it is in talks with aircraft makers Airbus and Boeing about its fleet requirements but is yet to make a decision.
“We are in continued dialogue with all manufacturers …. but no decision has been taken yet. All options are open,” Chairman Ahmad al-Zabin told Reuters.
The strategy of Kuwait National Airways was still on the drawing board pending the outcome of market studies, he said. “The studies haven’t been completed yet. Hopefully in two to three months we will be have a much better picture,” Zabin, a former chairman of Kuwait Airways, said.
Kuwait has two operating airlines — state-owned Kuwait Airways, which has 17 aircraft, and low-budget carrier Jazeera Airways which has a fleet of five Airbus A320s.
Zabin said the airline would probably not become a low-cost carrier but its strategy and flight routes would be only decided after the results of the study.
“We have to wait for the consultant studies,” he said when asked about a newspaper report that said the firm might buy 30 Airbus aircraft.
Middle East demand for air passenger services surged 18.1 percent in terms of passenger-kilometres last year, the fastest of any region in the world, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents 250 airlines.
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