Gulf Air sees sales slashed by more than a quarter as a result of unrest

Chief Executive Samer Majali said this week he is preparing a report on the losses for the government but estimates are that Gulf Air bookings and sales dropped by 25 to 30% from February 14 to May 1 due to the troubles.
Majali said the company had sacked 200 to 220 workers for unjustified absenteeism.

Speaking ahead of a specialist aviation workshop for local journalists Majali said the decision to suspend flights to Iran, Iraq and Lebanon also affected its operations,.

With the outbreak of unrest, many bookings had been cancelled, while some embassies and foreign ministries had instructed their citizens not to visit the country, Majali said.
Many conferences and events had been cancelled, particularly Formula 1. The closure of King Fahad Causeway resulted in the company losing many Saudi visitors who prefer travelling through Bahrain International Airport, Majali said.