HAMBURG, Germany:
Kuwait Airways (KAC) received the first of a batch of A320neo aircrafts from
the European multinational aircraft manufacturer Airbus at a ceremony held in
Hamburg city, north Germany on Friday. The ceremony gathered KAC Board Chairman
Youssef Al-Jassem, head of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
Youssef Al-Fawzan, Director General of Airbus Middle East Fuad Al-Attar and
Kuwait Ambassador to Germany Najib Al-Bader. The jetliner, called 'Kathemah',
joins the fleet of Kuwait's flag carrier after finalizing the necessary
arrangements.

Important moment

Jassem described
the reception of the first Airbus 320neo plane as "an important moment in
the company's history." Speaking at the ceremony, Jassem said he was
really happy to have received the aircraft which was equipped with state-of-art
technology and fuel-saving efficiency. He said the delivery of the A320neo
followed the "recovery of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah from a health setback."

Jassem said the
A320neo marks the start of delivery of a total of 28 Airbus up until 2026,
which would join the already operational 10 Boeing 777-333 ER aircraft.
"We are witnessing leaps in numbers of passengers, and we expect the
number to be around five million passengers by end of this year," he
added. Jassem said the development of Kuwait Airways fleet was in line with the
company's strategy to provide the best services for the passengers.

Meanwhile, Fawzan
said DGCA would facilitate operation of Kathemah as soon as possible, adding
that a team from DGCA's safety and legal departments was in Hamburg to verify
delivery documents of the aircraft. Ambassador Bader said in the meantime that
the Foreign Ministry was keen on supporting national companies.

He said he was
happy with the upgrade of Kuwait Airways fleet, and the new plane would
certainly contribute to better aviation services between Kuwait and Germany.
Director General of Airbus Middle East Fuad Al-Attar, in a keynote speech, said
the delivery of the airplanes would further strengthen cooperation and
relations between the two sides. The delivery of A320neo, he added, marked the
65th anniversary of Kuwait Airways.

15 aircrafts

Seating 134
passengers, this jetliner is the first of 15 A320neo aircrafts that will join
KAC's fleet in addition to 13 aircraft of other Airbus versions. As part of a
plan to modernize its fleet, KAC signed a contract with Airbus on December 2,
2013 to acquire 15 A320neo and 10 A350 XWB aircraft, in addition to leasing 12
planes of A320neo and A330 types pending the delivery of the new planes. On
October 15, 2018, KAC signed a new contract with Airbus to acquire eight
jetliners of A330-800 type, which has a capacity of 220 to 260 passengers.
KAC's modernization plan will culminate in the expansion of its new fleet to 38
jetliners in 2026. - KUNA