12 March 2017
Introduction of fifth B777-300ER aircraft will enable airline to realise 58% seat capacity increases on key long-haul routes to Europe and Far East

Kuwait - Kuwait Airways, the official national carrier of the State of Kuwait, has this weekend welcomed the fifth of 10 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft into its expanding, new look fleet; signalling the halfway point in an order for the extended-range aircraft and second-largest passenger jet in the sky today.

Following the theme of naming the new fleet after place names, in Kuwait, the fifth Boeing 777-300ER has been called “Warbah” – the Kuwaiti island that sits at the mouth of the Euphrates River.

After entering commercial service, “Warbah” will be a key factor in enabling the airline to increase its seat capacity on Kuwait Airways’ long-haul routes, during the Summer Season, to destinations like Frankfurt, Bangkok and Manila.

While, during the Summer Season, Frankfurt (4), Bangkok (7) and Manila (7) maintained the same number of weekly flights as the Winter Schedule, the seat capacity increases that the introduction of the Boeing 777-300ER fleet will make on these routes, will be close to 60 per cent.

“As we stand at the midway point of the delivery order of 10 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, we already recognise the importance these new planes have had in improving the product offering we provide to many of our long-haul customers on core routes within our network,” said Rasha Al Roumi, Chairperson and CEO of Kuwait Airways.

“In just a short period of time, since the first Boeing 777-300ER delivery in December 2016, these aircraft have increased our seat capacity, increased the numbers in our operational fleet, and allowed Kuwait Airways to boost flight frequencies to key destinations – in line with demand. The new aircraft are also the canvass upon which we showcase our new look livery to the world,” Al Roumi added.

“In addition to this, the Boeing 777-300ER fleet has also enhanced Kuwait Airways’ on-board product offering, including one of the most spacious economy seat configurations in the world, a state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system [Panasonic ex3], and the introduction of new menus that cater to the widest range of palettes and specialist requests,” she concluded.

Later into the Summer Season, which starts 26th March, Kuwait Airways will exclusively deploy Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on its Bangkok, Manila, Dhaka, and Frankfurt routes. Dates for the full transfer of these aircraft onto several other long-haul routes will be announced shortly.

-Ends-

About Kuwait Airways
Kuwait Airways (KU: IATA, KAC: ICAO) is the National Airline of the State of Kuwait.

Established in 1953 as a private company, the airline was initially 50 per cent owned by the Kuwaiti government; In 1962, the government assumed 100 per cent ownership, making it the longest serving, official single-state carrier operating from the Arabian Gulf region.

In 2016, Kuwait Airways announced a five-year transformation strategy with a mandate of reasserting the official national carrier of Kuwait’s proud legacy and status within the regional aviation market, while also reclaiming the position as the “preferred airline linking Kuwait to the world”.

A member of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation and employing over 4,800 people, Kuwait Airways’ head office is situated in the heart of Kuwait City, close to Kuwait International Airport. The airline currently provides regular scheduled services to 36 international destinations in the Far East, Middle East, Europe and North America.

In 2017, the airline is expected to cross the milestone of serving over three million passengers, per year (TTM).

Kuwait Airways’ fleet of 24 aircraft currently consists of: 5 x B777-300ER; 7 x A320-200CEO (completed delivery Q2 2015); 5 x A330s (completed delivery Q4 2015); 4 x A340-300s; 2 x Boeing 777-200; and 1 x Boeing 747-400.

In December 2016, Kuwait Airways received the first of 10 Boeing 777-300ERs, with expected completion of delivery of the final aircraft in Q3 2017. Further additions to the fleet will include 15 A320neo’s and 10 A350s (delivery to start in 2019). Once the delivery of these 35 new aircraft are concluded, Kuwait Airways will boast the youngest commercial airline fleet in the world.

© Press Release 2017