The Whisperer

The big talk in the world of aviation surrounds a possible link-up of our beloved Gulf Air and the new kid in the clouds, Etihad Airways.

It may be just pie in the sky or a potential marriage made in the heavens as Gulf Air needs major investment and the high-flying upstart needs more international routes.
Industry pundits have been on the phone to the Whisperer all week saying no-one knows better about the Middle Eastern carriers than Etihad Airways’ chief executive and former Gulf Air head James Hogan.
Hogan took over the helm of Abu Dhabi-based Etihad after stepping down from Gulf Air after being acclaimed as having quietly rebuilt its business and re-established its reputation.
The Bahrain-headquartered airline was once one of the industry’s benchmarks for service and image.
The revival effort came on the back of mounting losses at Gulf Air, the withdrawal of one of its four original shareholders Qatar in 2002 to focus on its home-grown carrier Qatar Airways, and a general decline in Gulf Air’s image as some analysts recommended that the three remaining shareholders – Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Oman – let the business die. Then the Abu Dhabi government withdrew from Gulf Air to focus on its own new national carrier, Etihad Airways.
Gulf Air has consolidated its operations in Manama and Muscat and named Swiss citizen Andre Dose as its new Chief Executive Officer. He takes office on April 1 – but will he think the rumours are a joke?

There are whispers that plans are afoot to introduce extra taxes on cars. In the corridors of power groups are mumbling that Bahrain’s poor showing environmentally may affect its ability to attract green investors. It may be that a solution is two-fold... the first is that if you have a large engine capacity, you pay more to have your car on the road; the other measure is to make you pay more for a second car - a lot more!
Talk is of 10 times the payment for a second car! It’ll look good, green-wise and it’ll make money... but will it be popular?
 GDN... Wednesday, 28th Feb... water shortage in Riffa... solution? There is an iceberg en route from Antarctica... it is big, but lots of tugs are pulling it.
One of the benefits of global warming is that these chunks are breaking off and a Sheikh in Abu Dhabi had the idea that one could be brought here and sold to solve the water shortage. It will arrive soon, just before the water warms up.
It should be visible in the next day or so off the coast from the Askar Highway. It will be tethered just off the Yacht Club. Some enterprising locals are already on board, making caves for camping and are planning to charge people who want to spend a night on the ice. Remember, you heard it from the whisperer first!