30 minute interview

‘Our biggest strength is our distribution network’

Rajeev Nambiar General Manager - India, Gulf Air

Rajeev Nambiar, appointed recently as general manager - India, Gulf Air, speaks to Reema Sisodia about the airline's plans in the Indian market and his focus area

In face of increasing competition in the Indian aviation sector, how would you describe the performance of Gulf Air in this scenario?

The airline has come a long way since the start of its Indian operations in 1971 and currently operates 60 flights from seven destinations namely, Mumbai, Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi, and Kolkata. In terms of our reach and operations we are probably one of the largest international operators on the Indian scene. India is an extremely vital market for us and though we have a large route network, there is room for more. We are at present using our bilaterals to the fullest and are hoping to further increase our frequency to India.

What strategies are you planning to adopt to further strengthen your base in India?

I am confident that my biggest strength is my distribution network. We are probably the only international airline to have our own dedicated Gulf Air offices in 40 cities across India. This kind of presence has definitely given us a lot of benefits and has been a major contributor for our success in India. Our load factor on an average is 85 per cent and our wide distribution network across the country has been responsible for the airlines’ healthy revenue growth. I would like to strength this valuable distribution system further and also focus on more business from the corporate segment. Working with our B2B channels is our top priority. Apart from this, I would also like to concentrate our efforts to have the right mix of passengers on board, keeping in mind the product and price strategy. We are not a cash-rich airline compared to other Middle East carriers but we do have our strengths and USP that has helped us survive successfully in the Indian market for years.

What do you consider as the USP of your airline?

The airline has an unique advantage of having two hubs, one in Bahrain and the other in Oman. The Oman hub, which is our south hub looks after the network of all East-bound sectors, while our hub in Bahrain, which is our north hub caters to the West-bound network. These two hub structures works to our advantage as the airline recently reported improvements in major key performance indicators during the first quarter of 2006 and this has been a direct fallout of the two-hub strategy. The passenger traffic at Bahrain International Airport in the first quarter showed a 24 per cent increase over last year, while the Seeb International Airport in Oman witnessed a 20 per cent increase. Due to this approach backtracking is also something that is non-existent while flying the airline. We have also won awards for our First and Business class service and have five star chefs offboard. The airline has also been a pioneer in introducing the concept of Sky Nannies and the service is available across all classes.