Gulf Air

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Although the Gulf has no shortage of wealthy travellers, the real advantage that airlines in this part of the world have is the ability to attract transfer passengers who are continuing from Europe onwards to Asia and Australia.
As well as needing to offer good value, these airlines also entice passengers with various on-board extras, as well as the opportunity to empty their wallets in the duty-free stores whilst waiting for their connecting flights. In this highly competitive marketplace, Gulf Air have a tough job to keep up with their well funded and heavily marketed rivals. Coupled with the fierce combination of airlines, airports and governments working closely together to promote themselves, an airline which can no longer pin its identity to one particular base is always going to be lost in the stampede.
This is not to say that Gulf Air should be written off - they have at least now replaced their ageing Tri-Stars with modern Airbus A340 aircraft. Attempts for the subsidiary airline "Gulf Traveller" to offer an economy class only connection to Birmingham did not get off the ground last year, but Gulf Air are still a key player for flights from London Heathrow to both Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.