ABSTRACT
The Arabian Peninsula has several long-established national airlines, belonging to various governments of the region. And in recent times, two governments and a royal family have established airlines that fly long-haul routes: Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways. It was October 2003 when Air Arabia started flying from its base in Sharjah. The airport at Sharjah had speedy check-in procedures and a style that favoured the operation of a low-cost carrier. When the Kuwait government announced that it was prepared to license new privately-owned airlines, a local entrepreneur Marwan Boodai joined with other investors to develop a hybrid business model for a new airline, to be called Jazeera Airways. Sama Airlines was incorporated in 2005, with a plan to operate as a low-cost airline, owned by private and institutional Saudi investors. The major airline based in Bahrain is the long-established Gulf Air, which had started as a cooperative venture between several governments in the region.
