Mayday: Airlines pull out as Kuwait aviation falls into a rut

LEADERSHIP SHAKE-UPS, SLOW APPROVALS, LACK OF VISION PARALYSING SECTOR

- BY DHANUSHA GOKULAN

Things aren't always smooth if you have flown in or out of Kuwait International Airport lately. There are long waits, old terminals, or fewer flight options than you would expect compared to major aviation hubs Dubai or Doha.

And according to aviation experts, this isn’t bad luck — its due to bigger problems holding back Kuwait’s aviation industry.

Last week, national carrier Kuwait Airways announced it is under new leadership after CEO Ahmad Al Kreebani was dismissed. This came after 14 major airlines pulled out of the country’s airport network even as they maintain or expand routes to other major regional airports.

'It has little to offer'

British Airways ended its daily flights to Kuwait in March after more than six decades of service. The move followed similar withdrawals by Germany’s Lufthansa in September and the Netherlands’ KLM earlier.