Kuwait's Jazeera Airways begins flying; is country's first private airline

Kuwait's Jazeera Airways, the country's first private airline, flew its first flight Sunday to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The low-fare airline will also fly to Beirut, Bahrain, Damascus and Amman. It plans to expand its destinations to Egypt and India. Jazeera has taken delivery of one Airbus A320, and it expects to have three more by June.

Kuwait Airways is government owned but there are plans to privatize it. Jazeera Airways was established as a shareholding company last year with a capital of 10 million dinars (US$ $34 million, Ђ28 million).

Company chairman Marwan Boodai said the company was launched after 18 months of preparation, AP reports.

A.M.