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| Founded | 2004; 21 years ago (2004) | ||||||
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| Hubs | Kuwait International Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 24 | ||||||
| Destinations | 57[1] | ||||||
| Parent company | Boodai Group | ||||||
| Headquarters | Kuwait International Airport | ||||||
| Key people | Marwan Boodai (Chairman) Barathan Pasupathi (CEO) | ||||||
| Website | www.jazeeraairways.com | ||||||
Jazeera Airways K.S.C (Arabic:طيران الجزيرة) is a Kuwaitilow-cost airline[2] with its head office on the premises ofKuwait International Airport inAl Farwaniyah Governorate,Kuwait.[3] It operates scheduled services in theMiddle East,Nepal,Pakistan,Bangladesh,India,Sri Lanka andEurope.[4][5] Its main base isKuwait International Airport. The airline has grown since its launch to becomeKuwait's secondnational airline.Jazeera Airways is one of the largest operators at Kuwait Airport, having handled a quarter of all aircraft movements and passengers at the airport during July 2009.According to the July 2009 report issued by Kuwait Directorate General for Civil Aviation's, Jazeera Airways had the largest number of aircraft movement in the month with 1,834 take-offs and landings, 4% higher in terms of aircraft movement than the second-largest carrier.[6]
In 2004 theKuwait Government permitted the establishment of the non-governmental airline firm, essentially ending Kuwait's 50-year-old dependency onKuwait Airways. The 2004 Emiree Decree #89 established Jazeera Airways as the first airline to enter this newly liberalized industry.
Jazeera Airways raised its capital of KD 10 million (US$35 million) through an initial public offering in Kuwait that was oversubscribed 12 times.[7] The capital was doubled to KD 20 million (US$70 million) in 4Q 2007 by a second offering to existing shareholders. In May 2009, a share distribution of 10% effectively increased the capital to KD 22 million (US$77 million).
About 26% of the airline is owned by two companies affiliated with the Boodai Group: Wings Finance (9%) and Boodai Projects (17%). 6-7% is also held by Jasem M. al-Mousa Trading, a company owned by a former Minister of Public Works in the first Kuwaiti government established after the end of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. About 17.5% is held by two real estate companies, and the rest is publicly held.[6]
Jazeera Airways started operations on 30 October 2005 with a fleet of brand newAirbus A320 aircraft, all leather seats, flying to several destinations in the Middle East.
In Q2 2009, UAE authorities requested the airline to terminate its hub operations in Dubai. This step was seen as a support to Dubai's upcoming launch of its own low-cost airline,FlyDubai. Jazeera Airways changed its operation model by concentrating on its Kuwait hub and trying to launch a second hub somewhere else. By Q2 2010, the new model proved unprofitable as the Kuwait hub suffered from overcapacity. The airline changed its plans by cancelling many stations and parking some aircraft which were later returned to their lessors.
Jazeera Airways flies to destinations across the Middle East and Europe from its base in Kuwait. Since 2018, the company has expanded its available routes.
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In October 2019, Jazeera Airways launched its first flight toLondon, bringing the first new service fromKuwait to theUK in 55 years. It operated the flight toLondon Gatwick Airport's South Terminal with its newestA320neo aircraft.[8] This service has now been terminated.
On 24 February 2021, the airline started flying toColombo,Sri Lanka.[4]
In 2018, Jazeera Airways opened its own dedicated terminal at Kuwait International Airport. The facility is claimed to be the first owned, built and operated by a private airline in the Middle East.[10] It features a dedicated check-in hall for Jazeera passengers, a business class lounge, direct access to Jazeera boarding gates, and a car park with 350 spaces connected by a sky bridge.
As of August 2025[update], Jazeera Airways operates the following aircraft:[11]
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| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y | Total | ||||
| Airbus A320-200 | 13 | — | 12 | 147 | 159 | To be replaced byAirbus A320neo family. |
| — | 165 | 165 | ||||
| Airbus A320neo | 11 | 18 | 12 | 150 | 162 | Order with 5 options.[12] Deliveries began in 2018. To replace older A320ceo aircraft. |
| Airbus A321neo | — | 8 | TBA | Deliveries expected to begin in 2023.[12] To replace older A320ceo aircraft. | ||
| Total | 24 | 26 | ||||
The last of the A320ceos was delivered by Airbus on 11 January 2010.
The airline's fleet is powered by CFM56-5B engines. All of Jazeera Airways aircraft are fitted with 165 leather seats, and split into two cabins: Jazeera and Jazeera Business. When Jazeera Business is offered, six seats are removed to provide 12 Plus seats in addition to 147 Economy seats.
Jazeera Airways ordered 30Airbus A320s on 18 June 2007. This was announced at theParis Air Show bringing its total orders up to 35Airbus A320s.
During 2010, due to the airline's change of operation plans, several aircraft were parked, and eventually, five were returned to lessor Sahaab which subsequently leased them toVirgin America andSriLankan Airlines.
In April 2011, Jazeera Airways canceled 25 of the 40 A320s it ordered in 2007. Jazeera took delivery of four A320s still on order from 2012 to 2014.[13]
In 2018, Jazeera Airways took delivery of the first Airbus A320neo aircraft in the Middle East and employed it on their Dubai route.In September 2019, Jazeera also planned to order the A321LR. They also started their longest A320 family route which is 6 hours from its hub in Kuwait toLondon Gatwick.[14]
The airline offers business and economy class seating. The economy class seating has leather seats and shareable TV screens. Business class seats have leather seats and personal TV screens and two seats per row.
Jazeera Airways is one of the few airlines which does not servealcoholic beverages on its flights.[15]
On 2 August 2018, Jazeera flight (J9 608) fromKuwait caught fire in its right engine on landing atHyderabad. All 145 passengers were evacuated safely and the fire was extinguished.[16]
Jazeera Airways is a leading low-cost Kuwaiti airline listed on Boursa Kuwait that serves 60+ destinations in the Middle East, Central & South Asia, Europe and Africa, from its single hub in Kuwait.
