[Arabic] = Gulf Air - 33 Years of Continuous Development (for the Seveteenth Session of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation (AACO))

A celebratory work prepared for the 17th Session of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation (AACO), hosted by Gulf Air in Abu Dhabi during 27-28 March 1983. Original white leatherette gilt-titled with Gulf Air logo to the front. (54)pp Arabic text with colour photos throughout, and map to the front endpapers. Covers very good, worn to the corners. Interiors near fine, except unfortunately for the 4 small head of state portraits which have been neatly excised from the front endpapers. Headquartered in Beirut, the Arab League established AACO in 1965 to promote coordination among regional airlines across a wide range of operational areas. Its 17th Session was presided over by Ali Ibrahim Maliki (AACO President), Salim Ali Salam (Secretary General), and Amer Ahmed Al-Sharif (Assistant SG). In attendance were the CEOs or Chairs of the flag carriers of Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE and Yemen. Gulf Air, jointly owned by Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and UAE since 1973, had grown its fleet and network in readiness for major expansion that began in the early 1980s. The next steps would not be smooth however, with Gulf Air scaling back its services to Dubai over concerns it was being used merely as a local feeder for international airlines. With Dubai's presence in the global economy growing, it responded by launching its own competing flag carrier, Emirates, in March 1985. The Introduction briefly notes the sector is facing challenges that need to be discussed. Sections describe the Gulf Cooperation Council (to which all Gulf Air's owners belonged); Gulf Air's history from 1950, present services, fleet and network; Board of Directors; attractively illustrated descriptions of UAE, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar; 17th Session members; relevant airline bodies; and passenger and cargo traffic data tables for 1981. (Reference: Max Kingsley-Jones, "Emirates' global vision", FlightGlobal, 7 April 1999).…