Gulf Air revenue up as passenger numbers rise
Airline carried 13% more passengers in the first half
Dubai: Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air achieved a 6 per cent rise in revenue in the six months through June on the back of an increase in passenger numbers.
The airline said in an emailed statement on Tuesday it had carried 13 per cent more passengers in the first half compared with a year before, though it gave no net figures for passenger numbers or for revenue and profit.
The airline also said it had made savings in its cost base of 6.8 million dinars ($18 million, Dh64.5 million) in the period but again gave no net figure.
Gulf Air said in August it would resume flights to Iran and Iraq from September 20.
Competition from other Middle East airlines have also impacted its business and Gulf Air said in January it planned to shrink operations and seek cash from government funds.
The airline laid off 200 employees in May last year with bookings down by a quarter following the Arab Spring uprisings.
“We are pushing forward with our...efficiency measures in 2012 and are targeting a further 15 per cent reduction in (the company’s) cost base for the full year,” said Samer Majali, Gulf Air chief executive, in the statement.
The airline said its load factor grew by 5 per cent over the prior-year period to 77 per cent.
