Gulf Airlines (page 1 of 3)

Hi there,

Lately, when I check Skyscanner (sorted by price low to high 😛), I don’t see Gulf airlines at the top of the list anymore. Instead, Air India dominates (I flew with them a few years ago, and my experience was pretty mixed). After that, there’s Royal Jordanian… and the first Gulf Air, Etihad, and others only show up at 7XX € or more (with endless layovers). What’s going on with these airlines? Did they change their target market? I really like these routes for Southeast Asia trips because they give you a perfect midway break.

Hi there,

Yes, it's something everyone can see—the Gulf's major airlines no longer prioritize Europe as much. The world's center of gravity has shifted over the past few years, and Europe is no longer the heart of the global economy. The Asian, Indian, Chinese, and Russian markets are far more appealing and profitable for major airlines. Turkish Airlines itself has heavily focused on these routes and markets. Of course, you can still lay over in the Gulf on your way to Asia, but it tends to be quite pricey. For those looking for an alternative stopover, there are still a few options for a somewhat midway break... Turkish Airlines again (with a bit of humor), Uzbekistan Airlines (with a lot of humor), Turkmenistan Airlines (with a touch of irony), or EgyptAir. Gulf Air, Royal Jordanian, Saudia, and maybe Kuwait Airways could also work.

Michel

What's going on with these airlines? A shift in customer segment?

Don’t lose sight of the fact that there’s inflation—basically, a certain price surge for each country’s economy. Airlines are forced to pass on the rising costs. Not to mention the price of a barrel of oil, which keeps fluctuating—so when it’s lower, airlines set money aside.

Hi there,

The airlines manage to fill their planes, so they have no reason to make an effort on prices.

That doesn’t explain why we got excellent prices in years when planes were full. Back then, the most common explanation was competition among airlines for flights to Bangkok.

I’d say we’re now paying for the billions lost during the Covid years. Inflation too—all that money printing (not airplane tickets, obviously)...

Let me put it another way: tickets are expensive because they manage to sell them anyway.

Yeah, I get that, but it was cheaper before too. Except maybe the last 2-3 years before COVID.

Hi,

Yes, I get that, but before it was cheaper too.

That "before" goes way back: until now, flight prices in general had never increased since the switch to the euro. For Bangkok, they’d even gone down slightly.

For nostalgia and comparison, here are excerpts from the 1996 NF brochure on one-way flights (grab your calculators!):

$575 round-trip in 2019—that wasn’t so long ago.

Waiting for Tatra’s input, who knows this topic well.

You can still find some great fares, especially with Vietnam Airlines. Personally, I prefer using Matrix ITA to search for a flight and then book directly on the airline’s website.

Interesting brochure, NF!

Also, the price in bold is the base fare. The smaller print lists all the extras (weekend departure, Sunday return, flying from outside the main hub, etc.).

In nominal euros, airfares dropped in the 2000s and then climbed back to their previous level.

But in real euros (adjusted for inflation), the drop is still there.

Smaller text indicates all the extras (weekend departure, Sunday return, flights from the provinces, etc.)

Another piece of info is also mentioned when applicable: the free or paid option to make stopovers on the flight routing, a perk that unfortunately isn’t highlighted on booking sites anymore these days.

Okay. I have to say that for some time now, I've only been flying Qatar or Emirates.

To be completely honest and following the latest discussions, I think that around 500 € for a round-trip CDG-BKK wasn't a bad deal at all.

hi everyone, just because airlines can fill their planes doesn’t mean the flight is profitable. What’s a flight? Passengers paying for their airfare, so that’s revenue—then you subtract: - production costs, meaning staff wages (basically the crew’s pay), - fuel consumption for the flight, - any aircraft leasing costs, - taxes, etc... If you get a great price, it’s because the airline can run promotions or commercial deals, even if it means sacrificing their gross margin. Once an airline isn’t making enough profit, it starts losing money and either gets bought out or goes bankrupt.

Sure, but given how cheaply Qatar and Emirates get their gas and oil, and the quantities they sell, is that really where the problem lies?

Yeah, okay, Qatar can get oil at a good price, but you’ve still got the refining costs to consider. And once again, every airline has significant operating costs. They’re forced to make a profit margin.

Hi, Yes, Emirates and Qatar are among the "expensive" airlines for Thailand. For Gulf carriers, you can find good prices with Kuwait Airways, Gulf Air, and sometimes Jordanian. Etihad also offers good deals at certain times. I traveled last May/June for 490 € round-trip to BKK with Saudia (great service) from CDG. Chinese airlines are really pushing prices for Asia—you can find round-trip fares to BKK from Paris CDG between 540 € and 650 € depending on the dates.

Thanks for the reminder—love the brochure! It brings back the golden days of Tarom or Biman Bangladesh, with some flights that were almost unbelievable, far from today’s service...

When it comes to prices, the Chinese used to be unbeatable before Covid—CDG/BKK for 400 €. I took full advantage of that... but even Chinese airlines have raised their fares since the pandemic.

Hi there,

I’m replying to Patrick, but this is more of a general response.

Honestly, a few decades ago, a long-haul flight was a big financial deal, and a round-the-world trip for four people—just the flights—could cost two months’ salary for most folks. Then, between 2010 and 2020, a weird set of circumstances led to long-haul fares that were almost absurdly cheap. It was actually more expensive to fly from Quimper to Orly to visit your grandma—because Air France’s monopoly would nail you—than it was to fly from London to Hong Kong or Paris to Bangkok. It wasn’t exactly normal. Even if you’re not an eco-warrior, you’ve got to admit that 500 € for a round-trip to Asia just doesn’t reflect the real value of things or match the incomes of many travelers making those trips.

Now, more specifically for Patrick—and no nitpicking here, just aiming for precision, especially on VF, where we like things to have a touch of perfectionism—the airlines are Gulf Air, Etihad Airways ("Etihad" means "union"), and Kuwait Airways. Gulf-based carriers. 🙂

Michel

Hi!

I think it's great that we can still find tickets around 500 € for Southeast Asia or even Northeast Asia these days. It lets people with limited budgets visit that part of the world at least once in their lives. Beyond that, everyone can think what they want.