Gulf Traveller's load factor far exceeds target

Gulf Air's all-economy airline, Gulf Traveller, is enjoying up to 85 per cent load factor, way past the airline's expectations, said a senior company official yesterday.

"The project has been so successful that Gulf Air is now planning to expand it to Europe. We have recorded a load factor of between 74 and 85 per cent on the Subcontinent and Middle East flights, said Mahfouz Ali Al Harithi, Gulf Air's general manager for the UAE.

Gulf Air started operating the all-economy flights on June 1 to the Indian Subcontinent and Middle Eastern destinations as part of the airline's strategy to be a strong Middle East and Subcontinental carrier, added Al Harithi.

"Now as the experiment is welcome by travellers, we are considering operating no-frills flights to certain European destinations," said Al Harithi. He did not reveal when or which destinations.

He added that Gulf Air introduced these flights after a thorough study of the markets and all types of travellers.

Through its no-frills airline, the carrier expects to earn higher revenues and cut losses by half to $20 million by the end of this year from $40.6 million last year and $52 million in 2001.

Gulf Traveller flies to 17 destinations mainly India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Jeddah and some other GCC cities.

The airline operates from Abu Dhabi using six single class Boeing 767-300s, all bearing the distinctive new livery.

He added Gulf Air is preempting the trend toward single class carriers which will become inevitable in the Middle East. Al Harithi denied that the service offered to passengers will be affected.

"There will be a crew to passenger ratio of one to 39, which compares favourably with ratios of one attendant for 44 passengers on leading airlines," he said.

Al Harithi expected Gulf Traveller to win more traffic in future as passengers get used to the new concept.

"The market demand for no-frills flights is very good and will be better in future."
Gulf Air plans to double its fleet to around 60 by 2010.