Kuwait Airways tries to modernize with A330-900s and a new Business Class, which will also arrive in Milan and Rome
Kuwait Airways is probably, of all the Gulf airlines, the least 'cool'. It does not have Emirates' A380s, nor [...]
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Kuwait Airways is probably, of all the Gulf companies, the least 'cool'. It doesn't have the A380s of Emirates, nor the luxurious interiors of Etihad and Qatar Airways, nor the fleet and network of Saudia or that 'boutique airline' aura that Oman Air and Gulf Air have managed to build around. In addition, Is definitely penalized (in this on a par with Saudia) from being A 'dry' carrier, that is, not to serve alcohol on board its airplanes.
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However, over the past seven to eight years, in Kuwait City have made a major effort to almost completely renovate the fleet and make it more homogeneous, as for in-service models.
To date, all of its A320s and A330s are 'neo': these are nine A320neo (with an A321neo on the way) and four A330-800s, all two-class (Business and Economy).
A320neo offer 12 seats in Business (2-2) and 122 in Economy (3-3), while A330-800s have 32 Collins Super Diamond seats (the same as ITA Airways' A350s) on board in Business, as well as 203 in Economy.
However, the bulk of the long-haul fleet consists of ten Boeing 777-300ERs flying as many as four classes of service, with 8 seats in First, 36 in Business, 54 in Premium Economy and 236 in Economy.
And that, despite having an average age of only 7-8 years, they offer an outdated board product, with Collins Diamond seats in a dated 2-2-2 configuration in the business class cabin.
Things are set to change soon, however, thanks to the entry into service of seven A330-900, the first of which is Arrived in Kuwait City last December 10., which should at least partly go to replace the 'cumbersome' (in terms of capacity and outdated on-board product) Boeing 777-300ERs.
Not least because, with the arrival of the first A330-900, Kuwait Airways. unveiled a new Business Class, this one of the latest generation at least in terms of 'hard' product: The seven A330-900s, in fact, Will have Vantage XL seats with doors on board, i.e., 'suite' version.
To be clear, the seat is the same one chosen by ITA Airways (but without doors), as well as Virgin Atlantic and Delta Airlines (with doors) to equip the Business Classes of their A330-900s. On those of Kuwait Airways there will also be 21 seats configured in three rows of 2-3-2 seats each (it is not yet clear whether or not this is a true Premium Economy) and 225 of Economy, for a total of 278 seats.
According to those reported by aeroroutes.com, A330-900s will debut outside the Middle East starting next March 30 at Paris Charles De Gaulle, Barcelona and Milan Malpensa, to then also be deployed over the summer to connect Kuwait City to Frankfurt, Geneva, Istanbul, Manchester and Rome Fiumicino.
On Milan the -900 will operate one of the four weekly flights operated by Kuwait Airways between March 30 and June 22 and then two of the weekly flights from June 23. To Rome they will operate one of three connections operated in the week between June 1 and June 8 alone.
