Gulf Air

[Scottie Dog]

A quick reminder that Gulf Air re-start their Bahrain service this coming Wednesday, 1st June, with flight GF4 being scheduled to arrive at 07:15z. Flight due to be operated by B789 A9C-FE.

It is many many years since we last saw this airline in Manchester, apart from when on either a diversion or charter.

 

[Manchester Exile]

If I recall correctly, Gulf Air (the first time around) were the first Middle East carrier at Manchester. Can someone confirm?

 

[Llandudno]

Also worth noting that this isn’t a restart of their Bahrain flight specifically. While Gulf Air have served Manchester in the past, it was to Abu Dhabi rather than Bahrain.

 

[gulftraveller]

Whether or not they predated EK, I do not recall. The story went that they could not get a licence to operate to Bahrain so opted for MAN-CDG-AUH which was very much a second choice. Later their low cost division announced BHX-BAH but it never materialised.

In the mid 1970s BA apparently looked at a number of long haul destinations from MAN. BAH was allegedly one of them.

 

[Manchester Exile]

I’m pretty sure that the Qantas flight from Manchester stopped at Bahrain too. It was something like Manchester, Amsterdam, Athens, Bahrain, Bangkok, Melbourne, Sydney. That would have been a very long journey for passengers bound for Australia.

 

[Matt995]

Later their low cost division announced BHX-BAH but it never materialised.

Was actual Birmingham - Abu Dhabi flights, 4 times a week from April 2005 on a Gulf Traveller 767, but was rumoured to have been pulled because of Emirates starting their Dubai service.

 

[Silvercity]

Out of interest which countries does GF represent these days. I know going back before the days of Emirates etc, they flew on behalf of a few gulf nations. In fact going back then I can only think of Gulf Air and Kuwait Airlines based in the gulf states.

 

[gulftraveller]

Only Bahrain.

 

[A400]

Bahrain to get an increase up to 4 weekly flights. Up from 2 weekly from May 1st

SeanM1997

 

[David_itl]

Not too sure how how a route with extremely high loads needs a codeshare but here it is... Thai is codesharing with them from 1st September


https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240826-tggfcodeshare

 

[Seasider]

Is this in place of the Thai A/W flight from Bangkok?

 

[David_itl]

may be until such time they get more aircraft of the right type.