GULF Air, Bahrain’s national carrier, laid off 200 employees and bookings were down a quarter following political and social unrest in Bahrain and the region. The company told Reuters 200 employees were laid off, adding 100 of those appealed the decision at an internal appeals committee and 11 were reinstated. The island nation saw clashes between protestors and security forces in the months of February and March, leading the government to declare a ‘state of national safety’ . Though this has now been lifted, the kingdom is still experiencing difficulties. The national carrier has struggled to find a niche after previous owners Abu Dhabi, Oman and Qatar gave up their stakes but it was on track, prior to the unrest, following major reorganisation in recent years.
