Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, announced the retirement of its CEO, Captain Waleed Al Alawi, effective from January 31, 2024.
Gulf Air Group (GFG) Chairman Mr. Zayed R. Alzayani expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Captain Al Alawi, stating: “On behalf of myself and the board members, I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Captain Waleed Al Alawi for all the efforts during his tenure while leading Gulf Air, especially in challenging times during the COVID-19 global pandemic, wishing him continued success in his future endeavors.”
Captain Waleed Al Alawi commented: “I would like to thank H.E. the Chairman of the Board of Directors, all the board members, and the Gulf Air family for their support over the past seven years, during which we have achieved a lot together for the Kingdom of Bahrain and the national carrier.”
“I would also like to express my deep gratitude to all the partners and clients. At the end of my journey at Gulf Air, I wish the national carrier and its staff every success and prosperity,” he added.
An aviation industry veteran with more than 40 years of experience, Captain Al Alawi has been CEO of Gulf Air since 2022. Prior to his appointment, he served as Acting CEO for more than two years, playing an instrumental in rolling out and executing the airline’s Boutique Strategy in 2018. Before that, he held the position of Deputy CEO for two years.
Captain Al Alawi began his journey in aviation in 1980 with Gulf Air, where he later progressed to training captain. Before returning to Gulf Air in 2017, Captain Al Alawi led a distinguished career with Bahrain Royal Flight for 18 years.
He is also Chairman of Bahrain International Golf Course Company, President of the Bahrain Basketball Association, Chairman of the Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority Investment Committee, a Board member of the French Chamber of Commerce Industry of Bahrain, and a member of the 2023 IATA Nominating Committee, Montreal, Canada.
Alongside an extensive list of flying qualifications, he holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Air Transport Management from City, University of London, UK.
Gulf Air commenced operations in 1950, becoming one of the first commercial airlines established in the Middle East. Today, Gulf Air is a major international carrier serving 49 cities in 27 countries.
Gulf Air currently serves all its destinations with a combination of the narrow body jets Airbus A320, Airbus A321, Airbus A320neo and Airbus A321neo, as well as the wide body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
