Merger is A Must: Gulf Air

Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air has said the decision about a possible merger with privately held Bahrain Air is out of its hands.

The state-backed company came no closer to suggesting a possible tie-up with the Gulf state’s second flag carrier, despite being stuck in a financial cul-de-sac.

“Bahrain Air is a privately-owned, low-cost airline while Gulf Air is a government-owned company and the flag carrier for the Kingdom of Bahrain,” the company said in a statement.

“As such any decision regarding a merger or otherwise rests fully with the government.”

The CEO of Bahrain Air Richard Nuttall told Arabian Business in March he would be open to a merger with the state-backed carrier in a bid to enhance the carriers’ network of flights and overall operational efficiency.

He said there was an urgent need to solve the problems that both loss-making airlines faced, and that a deal between the two carriers had a lot of support in the country.

“We are very open to merging with Gulf Air, and can see a number of synergies,” he said.