Jazeera Airways: LCC or Hybrid?
Jazeera Airways is a low-cost airline based in Kuwait operating a fleet of Airbus A320 series aircraft to 30 destinations across the Middle East, India and Europe. It’s a fascinating LCC airline with a unique business model and strategy. It’s more of a hybrid model rather than your traditional low-cost airline business mode, and its profitable.
The Kuwait based airline launched flight operations in 2005 and has been listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange since 2008.
LCC or Hybrid?
LCC’s generally operate single class cabins with Economy seats, maximising seat count to lower costs. In Europe the average seat pitch is 28’’ while Jazeera’s pitch is 31’’. LCC’s generally charge for checked baggage, Jazeera offers one free checked bag up to 30Kgs (40Kgs for flight between Cairo), and you have Inflight entertainment, albeit via your own device by downloading the Jazeera Screens App. Already we’re seeing something unconventional in this low-cost airline.
Jazeera also offers a Premium Economy and a Business Class with complimentary in-flight food and beverage services on its flights. I’m sure you’re now convinced Jazeera isn’t an LCC, but it has won international awards in the low-cost airline sector. Free checked baggage limits for Premium are 40Kgs and Business 50Kgs. With 50Kgs, you could pack your refrigerator with you, and you’ll probably need it as Kuwait has some the hottest temperatures on the planet in summer.
Jazeera also has a loyalty program, albeit a very small one where you get free flights for every 10 flights you complete within 12-month period with the airline.
Jazeera Terminal (T5)
We’ve seen airline’s own or lease terminal/gate space at home airports, if you’re from Australia, the US, or Canada, this is normal. Seldom do we see entire international terminals (apart from the USA) leased by a single airline. Well, in any case, not from a low-cost airline.
Jazeera Airways is unique amongst the low-cost airline sector in that it owns its terminal at Kuwait airport. In comparison, LCC’s seek the cheapest airport/terminal options available when concluding airport partnerships, but not Jazeera. The airline decided to build its own terminal at Kuwait International airport and named it Jazeera Terminal T5. Now you’re thinking this isn’t a low-cost strategy but bear with me while I explain the bigger picture.
The airline industry is a buzz about airline experiences and most often fail in their strategies as its hard to get airports on-board, everyone has their own ideas about direction, not Jazeera. By operating their own terminal, they have the freedom and opportunity to develop and execute their airline and airport experience at base, something a lot of legacy let alone LCC’s would love to do.
Operating your own terminal, you have the flexibility to offer lower passenger taxes, introduce seamless technologies to assist passengers, and total freedom to brand the terminal. While some airlines around the world are lucky to have their own terminals, next to none, have a terminal and valet car parking with check-in facilities. This is a product offer and seamless travel experience other airlines would simply love to have.
Terminal T5 facilities
The Jazeera Terminal T5 is spread across 4,750m², the terminal can handle an average of 2.5 million passengers annually and an average of 1,200 bags per hour. Twelve check-in counters and self-service check-in kiosks are also available. In addition, the terminal has a selection of retail offerings such as duty-free and food & beverage choices.
Looking for a business lounge? Jazeera partnered with National Aviation Services (NAS) to establish business lounge services at the terminal. Its free to Jazeera’s Business class passengers, while Premium and Basic Economy flyers can use the lounge for a small fee.
I accept the terminal is relatively new, but after a year of operations, I for one was expecting more passenger tech experiences would have been rolled out by now. Who knows, they maybe in the pipeline. The possibilities are endless if you have the budget and the right technology partners onboard to ensure passengers are engulfed with positive experiences.
Jazeera Airways Park & Fly
The airline is to my knowledge, one of the first LCC airlines to offer a valet parking service where you arrive with your car, the attendant parks your car and you enter their cubicle and check-in for your flight, away from the hustle and bustle of an airport terminal. Once you’ve completed check-in and checked any baggage, you simply aboard the shuttle bus to the terminal and go straight through security, avoiding the ques at the terminal check-in.
In a world where airports charge high parking fees, Jazeera has made car parking a new and unique product that’s convenient within its ancillary services offerings. What’s more, their parking fees are up to 50% below the costs of the Kuwait airports average parking fees. It has become the norm that airports around the world milk customers everyday through high parking fees to the point where it’s cheaper to fly from London to Spain. Jazeera have taken a slice of this pie, combined it with their air services and branded it. It all makes for a seamless travel experience.
The Park & Fly service is a mere 2 minutes away from the airport, so it’s an ideal product for business travellers.