Gulf Air (GF, Bahrain International) is looking again at its plan to sell at least four of its current A320-200s as part of a broader fleet review, chief executive Jeffrey Goh told Aviation Week.
"We have two more B787s to come, as well as about six or seven A320/A321s, and we are currently reviewing the needs of our fleet portfolio. We are revisiting [the plan to sell the four A320s], we may need additional capacity," he said.
The ch-aviation fleets module shows that the airline currently operates eight A320-200s. Gulf Air owns all eight aircraft, which were delivered in 2009 and 2010. It has been gradually exiting the type in recent years, descending from a peak of nineteen of them in 2010. It also owns and operates four A321-200s, having retired two in 2022.
Gulf Air originally planned to retire all A320-200s and A321-200s by 2023, but extended the timeline indefinitely during the pandemic. As it owns them, it is flexible about a phase-out date.
The Bahraini flag carrier's Airbus order book currently comprises six A320-200Ns and four A321-200NX(LR)s. It already operates six A320-200Ns, nine A321-200NX, and four A321-200NX(LR)s. In contrast to the owned A320ceo Family aircraft, all but one of the neo jets are dry-leased. The fleet also comprises ten B787-9s with two more due from Boeing. The airline is contemplating a new widebody order, Goh said recently.
