James Hogan

'March and April were obviously difficult months,' he admits. 'But in the first quarter of 2003 Gulf Air still achieved an average 3.7% improvement in traffic over the same period last year.

'The increase was particularly marked in our premium classes where excellent service, enhanced by our chefs in the sky and dine-on-demand option has proved popular. Traffic between the Gulf and London, Paris and Frankfurt was up by 18% over the same period last year'.

Mr Hogan joined the airline in March 2002. Staff members say he 'has been a breath of fresh air'. Last week he announced a new corporate identity and bold new look for the airline emphasising its Arabian heritage.

'We have 5,000 staff and my first challenge was to explain to people the challenges of turning the airline around,' he says. 'And certainly the upgrading of our first and business class service and the development of a regional hub in Abu Dhabi has gone better than we expected'.

In the initial takeover Mr. Hogan made 275 staff redundant, but he is now recruiting again for cabin crew and pilots, though a freeze on administrative recruitment remains.

'Compared with the rest of the world the outlook for airlines in the Middle East is very positive,' he adds. 'We have not felt the impact of the loss of business on the Atlantic routes, or the full impact of the SARS virus like the Far East carriers.

'In fact growth prospects are very good in this region, and while we still have a lot of work to do, our three-year recovery plan is definitely on schedule'.

An Australian national, Mr. Hogan started his career in administration at Melbourne airport, and he worked with Ansett Airlines and Qantas Airways before spending 12 years with Hertz. In 1999 he became chief operating officer of the British Midland airline and prior to joining Gulf Air was involved in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue Ansett Airlines.

Mr. Hogan sees considerable restructuring ahead for the global airlines, and agrees 'a few may disappear'. In the longer term he thinks this process will also be inevitable in the Middle East and he points to the cooperation between British Airways and Qantas as a model as to how major carriers can work together to lower costs.

What is most impressive about Mr. Hogan is his commitment to customer service. And he reckons that anyone that now flies in a premium class with Gulf Air will be impressed by the changes.

'You will be whisked to Abu Dhabi airport in a chauffer driven Jaguar, and be through check-in in five minutes,' he says. 'The airport is very convenient and you will not end up having to walk miles. This is a great passenger experience and I think our rising passenger numbers are proof enough that people appreciate this new level of service'.

At the other end of the scale Gulf Air plans all-economy class flights on certain routes in the near future. Mr. Hogan promises that over the next year or so he will be rolling out something new 'practically every month'.

This is welcome news in a region where some carriers have proven very resistant to change. It may well be time for those who have given up on Gulf Air in the past to try again, and see if Mr. Hogan has really made a difference.