CEOs don't grow on trees

If one thing is certain it is that we’ll never be certain why Andre Dose resigned as CEO of Gulf Air. Clashes with the board, disagreements over management style, intrusive external audits…many theories are mentioned, the only truth is that Gulf Air is once again looking for a new chief.

There are few good times to have a CEO quit, but this looks like particularly one. Qatar Airways is going great guns, Emirates is sailing on serenely, and Etihad, helmed by former Gulf Air boss James Hogan, is stepping up. In comparison Gulf Air, with one rebranding and several restructuring plans under its belt, looks dead on its feet.

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Wanted: buyer with a plan

The Kuwaiti government wants to sell an 80% stake in loss-making national carrier Kuwait Airways, state news agency KUNA said earlier this week.

The news comes as Oman gets to grips with its own Oman Air and Bahrain takes on full responsibility for Gulf Air.

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Safe landing

After 33 years of going nowhere, Gulf Air has made one safe landing that promises to reverse its fortunes. With Oman completely pulling out of the beleaguered airline at a dramatic extraordinary general assembly in May, Bahrain has regained its 100 percent ownership. Most believe the latest turn of events will help the kingdom redefine its priorities and establish itself as a tourism destination using Gulf Air as a catalyst. It’s a case of better late than never as the airline, by its own admission, was bleeding over $1 million a day and even more if other costs such as financing are included. Another estimate suggests that the carrier’s accumulated losses and costs, including for 2007, would amount to 254 million Bahraini dinars ($675 million). Gulf Air was founded in 1974 and was owned equally by the governments of Bahrain and Oman, after Qatar and Abu Dhabi withdrew in 2002 and 2005 respectively. Read More...