Board chief holds press confab following arrival of new aircraft

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 1, (KUNA): Kuwait Airways Board Chairman Youssef Al-Jassem said Saturday the carrier was keen on increasing its fleet with number of passengers carried by the state-owned airline could reach five million this year. Al-Jassem, at a news conference following arrival of Kuwait Airways’ first Airbus 320neo at Kuwait International Airport’s Terminal IV (T4) from Hamburg, Germany, said the new aircraft, named Kadhemah, would start its first flights in several days. He said this was the first of 15 aircraft to be received from Airbus in coming years.

Al-Jassem said Airbus would also deliver eight A330 and five A350, raising Kuwait Airways fleet to 38 by year 2026. The carrier has already 10 Boeing 777- 300 ER. He said the new plane consisted state-of-art technology and was known for its efficient fuel consumption.

The new aircraft, added Al-Jassem, would further contribute to safety of passengers and commitment to timetables. He said Kuwait Airways was using loans to purchase aircraft, not from the company’s USD 1.2 billion capital. Al-Jassem said Kuwait Airways’ expenditures emanated from KD 390 million (USD 1.2 billion) proceeds generated by operations.