Kuwait Airways 377382 226168532 2008-07-17T03:29:44Z 222.248.235.157 /* Fleet */ {{Infobox Airline |airline = Kuwait Airways |logo = Kuwaitairways.png |logo_size = 300px |fleet_size = 18 |destinations = 52 |IATA = KU |ICAO = KAC |callsign = KUWAITI |parent = |founded = 1954 |headquarters = [[Kuwait City]], [[Kuwait]] |key_people = Shiekh Talal Mubarak Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah ([[CEO]]) |hubs = [[Kuwait International Airport]] |focus_cities = |frequent_flyer = Oasis Club |lounge = Dasman Lounge |alliance = |website = http://www.kuwaitairways.com }} '''Kuwait Airways''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: الخطوط الجوية الكويتية) is the [[flag carrier|national]] [[airline]] of [[Kuwait]], based in [[Kuwait City]] and wholly owned by the Kuwaiti Government. It operates scheduled international services throughout the [[Middle East]], to [[Europe]], the [[Far East]] and [[North America]]. Its main base is [[Kuwait International Airport]].<ref name="FI">{{cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= [[Flight International]] | page= 103 | date= 2007-04-03}}</ref> Kuwait Airways is a member of the [[Arab Air Carriers Organization]]. ==History== {{Fact|date=June 2007}} The airline was conceived in February 1953 by two Kuwaiti businessmen and was established in March 1954. It started operations on [[16 March]] [[1954]] as Kuwait National Airways. The current name was established in 1958, and that year saw a modernization of the fleet. In the 1970s, the airline further expanded its routes to include flights within the Middle East. The airline was heavily affected by the [[Gulf War]] with many planes having to leave due to the invasion. During the occupation, operations were transferred to Bahrain. The carrier, however, flew a free Kuwait Airways service on the [[Bombay]]-[[Bahrain]]-[[Cairo]]-[[London]] route in a modified livery with a [[Boeing 727]]. Bahrain served as operational headquarters during the occupation. The aftermath of the war saw a change in composition of fleet. In 2005, Kuwait Airways signed an agreement with [[Sabre Airline Solutions]] giving Kuwait Airways full access to a modernized planning and crew optimizing portfolio. [[Image:kuwaitairways b777-200er 9k-aob arp.jpg|thumb|right|[[Boeing 777-200ER]]]] Kuwait Airways was the first airline created by an Arab state in the Persian Gulf and competes with neighboring airlines such as [[Qatar Airways]] and [[Emirates Airline]]. The airline has 3,735 employees (at March 2007).<ref name="FI"/> In October 2007 the new CEO pledged that the airline should be privatised in order for it to compete efficiently against other airlines. He says that the airline will encounter difficulty in advancing, especially in fleet renewal, without the privatisation.<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/10/31/219020/kuwait-airways-may-defer-fleet-decision-until-after-privatisation.html Airline need privatisation to advance] Flight Global, 31/10/07</ref> ===Hijackings in the 1980s=== [[Image:Kuwaitairways b747-400m 9k-ade arp.jpg|thumb|right|[[Boeing 747-400|Boeing 747-400M]] taxis to the take off point at [[London Heathrow Airport]], [[England]].]] *During the [[Iran-Iraq War]], Kuwait Airways was the target of two hijackings. <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1578183.stm BBC News]</ref> The first was in 1984, when two Lebanese [[Shia Islam|Shi'a]] gunmen diverted a flight to [[Tehran]]. The stand-off took six days but finally Iranian security officers dressed as staff overpowered the hijackers. *In 1988 a Kuwait Airways [[Boeing]] was hijacked and diverted to [[Algiers]] while on its way to Kuwait from [[Bangkok]]. The hijacking lasted 16 days and ended with a Kuwaiti firefighter being killed along with another Kuwaiti military person. This occurred when the plane stopped in Cyprus for 2-3 days and the government of Cyprus didn't achieve 2 save the two persons killed. Then it moved to the Algeria and their demands where satisfied and released the 110 people. == Destinations == ''see full article:'' '''[[Kuwait Airways destinations]]'''. ==== Codeshare agreements ==== [[Image:kuwait.airways.a340-300.9k-anc.arp.jpg|thumb|right|[[Airbus A340-300]]]] *[[Beijing]] operated through [[Air China]]. *[[Athens]] operated through [[Olympic Airways]]. *[[Kiev]] operated through [[Ukraine International Airlines]]. ==Fleet== The Kuwait Airways fleet includes the following aircraft (as of May 2007): {{Fact|date=June 2007}} <center> {| class="toccolours sortable" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse" |+ '''Kuwait Fleet''' |- bgcolor=lightgrey !Aircraft !Total !Passengers <br> <small>(First/Business/Economy)</small> !Notes |- |[[Airbus A300|Airbus A300-600R]] |5 |232 (18/18/196) | |- |[[Airbus A310-300]] |3 |198 (-/24/174) | |- |[[Airbus A320-200]] |3 |130 (-/20/110) | |- |[[Airbus A340-300]] |4 |272 (18/24/230) | |- |[[Boeing 747|Boeing 747-400M]] |1 | |Reserved for VIP, occasionally used for scheduled passenger services |- |[[Boeing 777-200ER]] |2 |273 (24/24/225) | |} </center> On [[June 18]] 2007, [[ALAFCO]], an aircraft leasing company co-owned by Kuwait Airways, confirmed that it would to buy 7 [[Airbus A320]] and 12 [[Boeing 787-8]]. These aircraft will be leased to Kuwait Airways. This order later fell through as the Kuwaiti Government refused to the approve the renewal.<ref>http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/kuwait-airways-cancels-3-bln/story.aspx?guid={28474021-D5BF-4BB6-85A4-3D4D8349E35F}</ref> The new CEO says that he does not expect a renewal to occur until the airline is privatised.<ref>"[http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/10/31/219020/kuwait-airways-may-defer-fleet-decision-until-after-privatisation.html Kuwait Airways may defer fleet decision until after privatisation]" Flight Global, 31/10/07</ref> ===Deal with Air India=== In addition, the carrier also announced that it will purchase 2 Boeing 747-400 from Air India. These aircraft are 12 year old planes. [[Air India]] may also give Kuwait Airways 3 Airbus A310-300, which are 18 to 20 years old, as the former is replacing most of its Airbus fleet with a new Boeing fleet. ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== {{Commons|Kuwait Airways}} * {{en icon}} {{ar icon}} http://www.kuwaitairways.com Kuwait Airways official webs {{IATA members|mideast}} {{Arab Air Carriers Organization}} [[Category:Airlines of Kuwait]] [[Category:IATA members]] [[Category:Arab Air Carriers Organization members]] [[Category:Airlines established in 1953]] [[Category:Government-owned airlines]] [[ar:الخطوط الجوية الكويتية]] [[de:Kuwait Airways]] [[es:Kuwait Airways]] [[fr:Kuwait Airways]] [[id:Kuwait Airways]] [[it:Kuwait Airways]] [[he:כווית איירווייז]] [[nl:Kuwait Airways]] [[ja:クウェート航空]] [[pl:Kuwait Airways]] [[pt:Kuwait Airways]] [[sv:Kuwait Airways]] [[vi:Kuwait Airways]]