Kuwait Airways coordinates continuously with other carriers

Kuwait Airways coordinates constantly with private air corporations operating in Kuwait to discuss latest innovations and current issues in the realm and bolster the industry at the national level, said the visiting KAC Chairman on Wednesday. Sami Al-Nisf, also the KAC Managing Director, said in a statement to KUNA, on sidelines of the 46th Annual General Meeting of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation (AACO), that the discussed themes centered on navigation effects on the environment, clients' protection and means of boosting inter-Arab coordination in the field. The discussions touched on international air navigation treaties, a prospected concord among Arab carriers to purchase fuel and spare parts and maintain aircraft jointly to cut costs. Al-Nisf expressed concern at European Union's plans to enforce strict regulations on Arab air companies at pretext of protecting the environment, indicating that such an approach is illicitly intended to be in favor of the European carriers. The Europeans argue that some of the Arab companies are supported by the governments and have shown concern that this situation tilts the competition balance in favor of the Arab companies, Al-Nisf said. "The European Union believes this matter is at the expense of competition fairness however the other (Arab) viewpoint says that the European companies" have been formerly acquired and backed by the governments, he explained. It is quite normal for governments to support airways they own, he asserted, however much controversies have proceeded "and much of the rhetoric in the European Union is based on suspicions ...," he added. The European passenger should be free of choosing the airways, namely Gulf airlines, Al-Nisf stressed, alluding to the European authorities' bids to discourage their citizens from flying regional airways. He described as good level of inter-Gulf air services cooperation, but called for greater coordination to provide assurances to small companies. "We in Kuwait sense the great support from the Gulf companies and we work together for sake of reaching a sound equation," he concluded