Jet becomes first pvt airline to launch flights to Gulf

Jet Airways today become India's first private airlines to begin its services to the Gulf with the launch of its direct daily flight to Kuwait and Bahrain.

The profitable Gulf sector was till date was served only by the national carriers -- the erstwhile Air India, Indian and Air India Express. The national carriers were so far competing with several major Gulf airlines like Emirates, Kuwait Airways, Gulf Air and Qatar Airlines.

Jet's flight (9W 572), carrying 69 passengers, left for Kuwait from Indira Gandhi International Airport this morning after being flagged off by Director General Civil Aviation Kanu Gohain.

"Keeping in mind the unmet demand of more flight in the Gulf sector, we have introduced our world class services for the passengers going to these countries," Jet Airways International Relations and Industry Affairs Vice President P K Sinha said.

The services will be at par with Jet's premier services for the western destination, he added.

Speaking about the future expansion plans of the airlines, Sinha said, Jet is going to launch two new flights to Mascut and Doha (Qatar) from Calicut from January 23.

"Gulf is now growing as a tourist destination. As more and more Indian are preferring to go to these countries for holidays, there is huge demand for better connectivity which is still unmet," he said.

The airline today also launched three other daily direct flights -- Kochi-Kuwait, Kochi-Baharain and Mumbai-Kuwait.