Kuwait newest air terminal to witness 1st direct flight to NY
‘Jazeera’ to London’s Gatwick
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 7, (KUNA): Terminal 4 (T4) building, back-up facility for Kuwait International Airport, will witness on Thursday launching first direct flight to New York. Flight (117KU) constitutes the seventh and last phase of operating the facility, thus Kuwait Airways will leap to an advance position in commercial aviation.
Last December, the air facility had witnessed flights to all KU destinations, except for New York, that were still scheduled via T1 terminal. T4 inaugurated commercial flights to Bahrain on Aug 8, 2018, followed by a trip to Dubai Aug 15, same year. In September, KAC (Kuwait Airways Corporation) began organizing flights to all GCC countries.
On Oct 10, KAC declared increasing operations from T4, covering all Arab states.
Moreover, the corporation announced, on Oct 21, launching two-way flights to European cities except for London via its new building. On Oct 28, it announced scheduling flights to Heathrow Airport via T4.
On Dec 2, the KAC declared plans to stage departing and incoming flights to Iran, Pakistan, Thailand and the Philippines via the new terminal.
On July 16, Kuwait Airways planned direct flights to New York via T4 after completing all relevant procedures warranted by the American aviation authorities.
These operations have been executed according to a plan set by the civil aviation authority for phased shifting of flights from T1 to T4. The national plan is in harmony with guidelines set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for gradual shifting of operations from old to new terminals to provide time for assessment.
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has secured buses to transport passengers from T1 to T4 in some cases. A special team examines passengers’ needs and provided services at T4.
Sponsorship
The new terminal was inaugurated on July 4, 2018 under sponsorship of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The state-of-art facility is one of the concrete achievements on the path toward making Kuwait a regional business hub.
The 55,000-sq-m T4 has a capacity to accommodate some 4.5 million passengers per year. It provides jobs to 2,000 citizens and contributes with USD 60 million to annual state revenues.
Contract for building T4 was signed by the civil aviation authority, in 2016, with the Turkish Genghis company and the Kuwaiti Al-Oula company at a value amounting to KD 52.89 million (USD 173.2 million).
The Korean Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) manages the T4 facility.
The complex, built according to criteria of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), features state-of-art designs, technology and security systems.
Its construction has helped in balancing distribution of passengers among national air facilities, including Sheikh Saad Airport (T3) and Al-Jazeera terminal (T5).
The KAC was established in 1953 as a private aviation company. In 1962, the government acquired its entire stakes. It operates to 40 destinations worldwide.
Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways on Tuesday announced it will start flying to London on Oct 27, 2019, serving the British capital in new A320neo aircraft with daily flights.
Expansion
Speaking of the milestone launch, Jazeera Airways Chairman, Marwan Boodai said, “What better way to continue our expansion in 2019 than to announce London as a new destination of the year. This is a first for a Low-Cost Carrier in the Middle East to fly long-haul, using our new A320neo aircraft.”
Commenting on the new service between Kuwait and London, UK Ambassador to Kuwait Michael Davenport said, “I am delighted to see Jazeera Airways launching this new service between Kuwait and London Gatwick, made possible by the new Air Services Agreement signed last year.”
Jazeera Airways was established in 2005 and listed in the Kuwait Stock Exchange in 2008 with a current capital of KD 20 million (USD 66 million).
Marwan Boodai said the airways will soon meet representatives of many airline companies at Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom, which have flights to North America at competitive prices to be offered for the first time in the Kuwaiti market, reports Al-Rai daily.
In his interview with Al-Arabia Channel, Boudai pointed out that the launching of flights to Europe and London is a very important move for Jazeera Airways.
He indicated that Jazeera will announce its new expansion plan in the next few weeks, affirming the airways intends to add new destinations including the Middle East.