The Hindu Business Line : Kuwait Airways to take up limited open sky offer

KUWAIT Airways is to take up the limited open sky offer of the Indian Government. The airlines will offer more seats on the Kuwait-Mumbai-Kuwait route between November and March next year.

The airline plans to use both the Airbus A-340 and Boeing 777 aircraft on the daily flight that it operates on the sector during the limited open sky period. The move will see the airline offering an additional 200 seats a week on the sector in each direction. Currently, the airline operates an Airbus A-300 aircraft on the route five times a week, while on the remaining two days, a Boeing 777 is used.

The Manager (Sales and Marketing), Mr Pran Dasan, told Business Line that the decision to use both the Airbus A-340 and Boeing 777 on the route would see an increase of about 12 per cent in the seats offered.

"At present, the airline is only adding more capacity to Mumbai. However, we are closely monitoring the situation and at a later stage, the airline may consider operating more flights to other Indian cities during the limited open sky period," Mr Dasan added. The airline operates 24 flights a week to five cities in the country, including Delhi and Mumbai.

The airline joins a host of international airlines that have indicated their willingness to take up the limited open sky offer of the Government, including the German airline Lufthansa that is to operate more flights to Bangalore.

Meanwhile, Kuwait Airways has started advertising on television to woo the Indian air traveller. Airline officials said that the 20-second advertisement spots, which have been specially cut for the Indian market, would be aired till the end of this year.