Wataniya Airways, one of three national carriers of Kuwait, said Thursday its first Airbus (A-320) arrived at Kuwait International Airport to joint its fleet.

The move opens a new chapter of the airline's operations on the local market after a five-year hiatus, said Lana Al-Rashid, director of the information and public relations dept. of the company. "This is a historic moment on Wataniya's march; it is the fruit of a whole year of preparations," she said in a press release, appreciated the support offered by shareholders over the last years.

Al-Rashid also thanked leaders of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), notably DGCA President Sheikh Salman Hamoud Al Sabah, Director General Eng. Yousef Suleiman Al-Fouzan and Deputy Director General Emad Al-Jalawi for facilitating the resumption of the airline's operation. The new aircraft will fly to short and medium range destinations in the coming few days, she added.