Gulf Air and Middle East Airlines sign code share agreement

The agreement, which comes into effect on 1 June, 2005 was signed by Gulf Air Vice President Network Fareed Al Alawi and Middle East Airlines Head of Commercial Nizar Khoury and makes provision for code shared flights between Abu Dhabi and Beirut to be operated by Middle East Airlines.

"This code share reinforces both airlines' position on this important market and will allow us to offer our customers enhanced services. It is also in line with MEA's vision of co-operation between inter-Arab carriers," said Mr Khoury.

Mr. Al Alawi said the agreement allows for joint marketing and initiatives, to promote travel between Lebanon and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and other destinations beyond the shared network.

"Gulf Air and Middle East Airlines will jointly offer their respective customers increased choice," he said.

"This agreement is in line with our objective to establish strategic partnerships and alliances to complement and add value to our network. By extending our relationships through alliances we are able to achieve cost savings through economies of scale and by optimising synergies. Customers also benefit by having access to a wider network of destinations with more choice.

"While membership of a global alliance continues to be a long-term goal, we are simultaneously strengthening and developing bilateral partnerships with members of all global alliances, and those that are non-aligned, to complement and add value to the Gulf Air network providing customers with additional network destinations and more choice."

In 2004 Gulf Air signed new commercial agreements with KLM, Garuda, Royal Jordanian and Egypt Air.

"Attention was also paid to strengthening existing bilateral alliances to complement and add value to our own network, including those with bmi, American Airlines, Saudi Airlines and Oman Air, which were enhanced and extended," added Mr Al Alawi.

MEA also signed code share agreements with Air France and Qatar Airways.