Jazeera Air to tap European and Asia carriers

2/11/2016 1:21:42 PM

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Dubai: Kuwaiti discount carrier Jazeera Airways said it will seek an alliance with a major operator based in Europe or Asia after plans to secure a stake in state-owned Kuwait Airways were frustrated.

Jazeera is likely to take at least six months to seal a deal with flights starting in summer 2018 Chairman Marwan Boodai said. “We are looking at the BAs Lufthansas and Singapores of the world established airlines that have value” Boodai said.

A partnership with a major carrier would be a “game-changer” for Jazeera allowing a company that operates only regional routes and attracts 1.2 million passengers a year to tap a long-haul market from Kuwait of 6 million people annually he said. Kuwait could also provide a European or Asian airline with a well-located base through which to feed inter-continental traffic he said.

Jazeera Air which had net income of KD15.4m ($51m) last year is at the “initial stage” of reaching out to “reputable and well-positioned” airlines after its board approved the joint-venture plan Boodai said adding that taking a stake in unprofitable Kuwait Airways has ceased to be an option because of the flag carrier’s delayed privatisation process. “Jazeera Airways is more a hybrid” Boodai said referring to the business-class offering available on most of its routes adding that the carrier wouldn’t be operating its own flights at the long-haul end of the market.

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