KUWAIT AIRWAYS 1980-1989
 |
| Timetable cover fron the Arthur Na collection |
 |
| 1980-81 network fron the Arthur Na collection |
1981
 |
| Timetable cover fron the Arthur Na collection |
and the continuing Iraq-Iran war renders the services to Abadan uncertain and the line is dropped . MANILLA is added as an extension to the BANGKOK service: LARNACA, COPENHAGUE and ZURICH seems to have regained their regular services.
Due to mounting losses in 1982 COPENHAGUE, ZURICH and BELGRADE are cut but Seoul is added to the network in December 1982 followed by ALGIERS in 1983. But, unfortunately, Tehran service is discontinued.
 |
| 1982 network fron the Arthur Na collection |
1983 will see the delivery of KAC Airbus 310-200, which the company ordered to replace the Boeing 707. The first of the 3 airbuses will be delivered in September, October and December 1983 respectively.
 |
| PHOTO BY DEAN MORLEY/FLICKT/CC BY-SA 2.0 LICENSE |
1984 appears to be an uneventful year, 3 brand new airbuses A300C4-620 are delivered between April and August 1984. The Frankfurt service is extended to New York.
1985 sees the expansion of KAC into the Japanese market as Tokyo is added to the network (via BANGKOK and SEOUL) and Riyadh is added but unfortunately BEIRUT as a result of the civil unrest in the country and ADEN are eliminated from the network.
1986
 |
| Timetable cover fron the Arthur Na collection |
The code share agreement between Korean Airlines and KAC could not be renewed and KAC ceases to serve both Seoul and Tokyo. The company carries 1,460,000 passengers. Boeing supplies 3 Boeing 767-269ER to KAC in exchange for almost 3 brand new A310. The A310 would be acquired by PAN AMERICAN. The American company supremacy was being threatened by Airbus: MEA, ALIA, SAUDIA, EGYPT AIR, KAC were placing some sizeable airbus orders at that time. The 767 were delivered between March and April 1986.
By Tim Rees - Gallery page http://www.airliners.net/photo/Kuwait-Airways/Boeing-767-269-ER/1034777/L Photo http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/7/7/7/1034777.jpg, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28493131
1987
 |
| Timetable cover fron the Arthur Na collection |
brings Luxor and Aden (once more) to the network whereas ALGIERS and CMN and the FRA-JFK sector gets axed 1988 and 1989 will be uneventful years, KAC consolidates its network and adds Sharjah to its map in 1988. The profits of the company reach a record level of $21.46Mio in 1988.
 |
| Timetable cover fron the Arthur Na collection |
 |
| 30/10/1988 Network from the Arthur Na collection |
Kuwait being a Middle Eastern company was not immune against the difficult times the Middle East was witnessing at that time. In the decade studied, KAC aircrafts were hijacked , some of its passengers killed etc… The major events were: On February 4, 1982, a KAC aircraft on the Beirut International Airport apron was stormed by 12 hijackers demanding the release of their leaders abducted some years ago in Libya. In December 1984, on the DUBAI-KARACHI sector, A KAC jet liner was hijacked to THR. 2 passengers were killed during the hijacking. On April 5, 1988, flight KU422, BANGKOK-KUWAIT was hijacked in one of the longest hijacking the story of commercial aviation witnessed: 16 days, alas 2 passengers lost their lives in this sad event.
 |
| 1989 Middle East destinations |
 |
| 1989 Gulf Destinations |
 |
| 1989 European destinations |
 |
| 1989 Intercontinental destinations |
No comments:
Post a Comment