Kuwait Airways to operate 728 weekly flights across 58 destinations in June

Kuwait Airways will operate around 728 weekly flights to 58 global destinations in June, following approvals from relevant authorities, Acting CEO Abdulwahab Al-Shatti said.

According to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the airline is currently operating about 420 weekly flights across 45 destinations, covering both departures and arrivals.

Network expansion across global routes

June operations will include a wide network of destinations spanning Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Key European routes include Malaga, Nice, Vienna, Zurich, Moscow, London, Manchester, Amsterdam, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Milan, Rome and Geneva, along with popular leisure and transit hubs such as Antalya, Bodrum, Trabzon, Mykonos and Sarajevo.

In Asia, destinations include Delhi, Kathmandu, Bangkok, Manila, Guangzhou, Lahore, Islamabad, Dhaka, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Trivandrum, Kochi and Colombo.

Regional routes cover Beirut, Cairo, Sharm El-Sheikh, Sohaj, Amman, Manama, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, Medina, Taif and Dammam, while African and other routes include Casablanca and Sphinx.

Ticket cancellations and refund progress

Al-Shatti said around 500,000 tickets were cancelled by passengers since February 28, with approximately 55% already refunded. Work is ongoing to process the remaining refunds.

He attributed delays to airport closures, high refund volumes, reduced staffing levels in government agencies and the need to verify banking details in coordination with banks.

Flexible travel options for passengers

The airline has allowed affected passengers to retain tickets for up to two years, with the option to rebook the same or alternative destinations without additional fees or fare differences.

Rising operational costs and fare pressure

Al-Shatti noted that fuel prices have surged by more than 120%, alongside higher insurance costs, directly impacting ticket pricing.

He said external factors such as fuel availability, insurance trends and geopolitical conditions continue to influence operations and fares, with the airline working to maintain competitive pricing where possible.

Pricing structure and route challenges

He explained that some ticket prices are shaped by Special Prorate Agreements (SPA), where revenue is shared between airlines on multi-carrier journeys.

He also noted that route closures and airspace restrictions have increased flight durations, fuel consumption and operating costs, particularly on short-haul Gulf routes.

Customer service under pressure

Customer service calls surged to more than four times normal levels during the crisis, driven by refund requests and schedule inquiries. The airline has increased staffing to manage demand and reduce waiting times.

Crisis response and emergency operations

Al-Shatti said the most significant challenge came after the closure of Kuwait airspace on February 28, when aircraft and passengers were stranded abroad while transit passengers remained in Kuwait.

The airline activated emergency plans, rerouted operations and coordinated with authorities to accommodate stranded travellers in hotels and assist their onward travel, including transfers via Dammam Airport.

Repatriation and humanitarian operations

Between March 2 and 13, Kuwait Airways repatriated around 2,180 citizens through 15 special flights via Dammam, ensuring priority return for stranded nationals.

The airline also transported over 2.4 million kilograms of cargo during the crisis, including medicines, cancer treatments and radioactive medical supplies from France.

In coordination with authorities, it also operated flights for residency violators, medical patients, students and urgent cases, while prioritising national food and medical supply chains during the disruption period.

Operational recovery outlook

Al Shatti said Kuwait Airways continues to adjust schedules based on regulatory approvals and operational conditions, noting that ongoing airspace restrictions, rerouting and airport limitations in some regions continue to affect flight planning.

He added that the airline is working towards gradual normalisation of operations while adapting to evolving regional and international aviation conditions.