Kuwaiti Carriers Plot Network Expansion

Credit: Airbus

A codeshare agreement has been signed between Kuwait Airways and Air Europa designed to increase travel options between Spain, Kuwait and beyond.

The new partnership, which will come into force in the coming months, will see Air Europa put its code on the three flights per week that Kuwait Airways operates between Kuwait City (KWI) and Madrid (MAD). It also covers service from KWI to Amsterdam (AMS), Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Rome Fiumicino (FCO).

Kuwait Airways will add its code on Air Europa flights from Madrid to transatlantic destinations Cancun (CUN), Miami (MIA), Sao Paulo (GRU) and Bogota (BOG), as well as short-haul routes to Porto (OPO) and Lisbon (LIS) in Portugal, and Marrakech (RAK) in Morocco. The agreement also covers some domestic services in Spain.

Kuwait Airways launched its first flights to Madrid in June, operating a triangle routing that included the popular Spanish leisure destination Malaga (AGP). However, since Sept. 16 Kuwait-Madrid flights have switched to nonstop using Airbus A320neo aircraft.

Meanwhile, fellow Kuwaiti carrier Jazeera Airways has unveiled plans to launch a second route to Uzbekistan, a year after starting flights to the country’s capital Tashkent (TAS). Operations to Namangan (NMA), located in eastern Uzbekistan close to the border with Kyrgyzstan, will be three times per week from Oct. 13.

“This is the first direct route to be launched from the Middle East to Namangan, giving access to growing trade relations and more tourist options in this part of eastern Uzbekistan,” Jazeera Airways CEO Rohit Ramachandran said.

“Namangan is known for being a center for light industry, especially in food, in addition to its historical landmarks and cultural experiences that distinguishes Uzbekistan.”

The new Namangan route is the second to the Uzbek city from the Middle East to be announced in as many weeks. Flydubai will begin Dubai (DXB)-NMA flights on Sept. 24, operating 2X-weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Jazeera Airways’ planned launch comes just days after the carrier confirmed the extension of its network to China with the launch of flights to Xi’an and the addition of two new routes to India.

Flights from Kuwait to Xi'an Xianyang International (XIY) started on Sept. 19, initially operating every fortnight, moving to a weekly service “in the near future.” The route includes a technical stop at Bishkek (FRU) in Kyrgyzstan for refueling, using an A320neo aircraft.

From Oct. 30, the LCC will also begin Kuwait-Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) and from Nov. 3 will start operations to Bengaluru (BLR). Both new India routes will be served twice a week.

David Casey

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