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Encyclopedia :
G :
GU :
GUL :
Gulf Air |
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Gulf AirIt was the national airline of Qatar, but that country withdrew and started Qatar Airways. Its IATA call code is GF. Its home bases are Bahrain International Airport in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi International Airport in Abu Dhabi, and Seeb International Airport, Muscat, Oman. Flight Crew training takes place in Doha, Qatar. The airline is the sponsor of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
HistoryGulf Air was founded in 1950 as Gulf Aviation Company. From then until 1970, BOAC was the major shareholder in the Gulf Aviation Company. The 1970s saw the airline begin flights to London and also ended BOAC's control over the airline with the governments of Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar purchasing BOAC's shares. In the '70s the airline also greatly increased its fleet and subsequently its route network, flying to various destinations in both Europe and Asia. The 1980s brought increased growth to Gulf Air and the network continued to grow. In the 1990s the airline grew rapidly and became involved in partnerships with numerous other airlines. The fleet was modernized and the route network diversified. In 2002 a recovery plan was launched in response to a loss of sales. On 23 September 1983, Gulf Air Flight 771, which was flying from Abu Dhabi to Karachi International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan, was bombed over the UAE, killing everyone on board. By March of 2004, Gulf Air had hired its first two female pilots. If Etihad Airways, a new national airline of Abu Dhabi that was formed in late 2003, develops further, than the Abu Dhabi government may withdraw from Gulf Air. Fleet
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