The Diplomat
Forty years later, Madrid and Kuwait are once again linked by direct flights, following the signing of a code-share agreement between the airlines Air Europa and Kuwait Airways, which took place on Wednesday in the Spanish capital.
The agreement was signed by executives of the two airlines at a ceremony attended by the new Kuwaiti ambassador to Spain, Khalifa Mohammed Al-Khorafi, and the Spanish ambassador to Kuwait, Miguel Moro.
Thanks to the agreement, there will be three weekly flights between Madrid and Kuwait, which, from January 2023, will be four. The alliance will allow Kuwait Airways to strengthen its presence in the Americas, including its code on Air Europa’s transatlantic flights connecting Madrid with Cancun, Miami, São Paulo and Bogota.
In addition, the Kuwaiti airline will also be present on routes connecting the Spanish capital with all domestic routes and international destinations such as Porto, Lisbon and Marrakech.
At the presentation ceremony of the alliance, Air Europa’s commercial director, Imanol Pérez, said that with it both companies are strengthened and reinforce their growth and consolidation”. “It allows us to reach and take our passengers to Southwest Asia and strengthen our commitment to connect Europe with America, through the Madrid hub, where Air Europa has a key position,” he said.
Shorouk Al-Awadhi, Director of Planning and Distribution at Kuwait Airways, spoke in similar terms, recalling Kuwait’s long and close relationship with Spain and stressing that the agreement with Air Europa comes at a time when the industry is trying to overcome the pandemic. “I am confident that this partnership will not only benefit both airlines but also America, Europe and the Gulf,” he said.
The Kuwaiti ambassador, for his part, indicated, in what was his first official act since his arrival in Spain, that the opening of the air connection between Madrid and Kuwait is an event that he hopes will serve as a “positive reinforcement of bilateral relations between the two countries”.
Meanwhile, the Spanish ambassador assured that the reconnection of the two capitals, after 40 years, “is very good news that comes at a time when so many good things are happening to strengthen relations between the two countries”. With regard to business estimates, Miguel Moro said that they are difficult to predict: “It is a question of time before the business figures, which have been 500 million euros on both sides, grow exponentially,” he said.
Maen Mahmoud Razouqi, CEO of Kuwait Airlines, pointed out that the company’s strategy is not only to offer capabilities and skills but also to offer services through strategic alliances with partners, who know what Kuwait Airways is, and who are eager to share in its success: “We are here not only to inaugurate this direct link between Madrid and Kuwait but also to announce a strategic partnership with an international airline with a great reputation in Spain. The cost of fuel affects us all, it is more expensive to fly now than in the past but we are the main company of the State of Kuwait, we were established in 1954 and that makes us strong.
According to Razouqi, there are currently up to 15,000 passengers willing to buy tickets to Madrid and a large number of tourists and professionals looking to Madrid as a fixed destination. We are monitoring bookings going forward over the next 90 days,” he said.
