Manchester, Madrid and Moscow Among Kuwait Airways’ Network Additions

Credit: Airbus/Master Films/Pascal Pigeyre

Kuwait Airways has unveiled plans to launch five new routes to destinations in Morocco, Oman, Russia, Spain and the UK.

Routes’ analysis of OAG Schedules Analyser data shows the first of the network additions will begin on May 3, connecting Kuwait International (KWI) with Manchester (MAN). Flights will operate twice a week using Airbus A320s.

The route will become the sole nonstop service between the destinations. However, Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways, which last week approved a $3.4 billion deal with Airbus for 28 aircraft, has also secured slots at Manchester for the summer 2022 season, meaning a second link may not be far behind.

The second of Kuwait Airways’ five new routes will open on June 1 between Kuwait and Casablanca (CMN), operating twice a week onboard A330-800. OAG data shows the 5,237-km route will become the only service connecting Kuwait and Morocco nonstop. O&D traffic between Kuwait and the North African country totaled some 60,000 two-way passengers in 2019, Sabre figures reveal. Doha (DOH), Cairo (CAI) and Bahrain (BAH) were the top three one-stop markets in the absence of direct flights.

The third new route starts on June 2 between Kuwait and Moscow Domodedovo (DME). Operations will be 2X-weekly with A320neos through Sept. 15. Flights to Salalah (SLL), the third-largest city in Oman, will also launch five days later, running twice a week using A320s until Sept. 13.

Although Jazeera Airways, Oman Air and SalamAir currently connect Muscat (MCT) and Kuwait, Kuwait Airways' new route will be the only Salalah-Kuwait service. Kuwait Airways served Muscat regularly before the pandemic, but flights remain on hold.

Finally, Madrid (MAD) will join the carrier’s network from June 11 as the airline expands its existing Malaga (AGP) route to include the Spanish capital. The Kuwait-Malaga-Madrid-Kuwait routing will be flown three times per week using A330-200s until Sept. 15.

David Casey

David Casey is Editor in Chief of Routes, the global route development community's trusted source for news and information.