Airlines

Middle Eastern carrier Gulf Air's chief executive, Bjorn Naf, is to step down and be replaced by current Royal Jordanian Airlines chief Samer Majali.

Gulf Air has not specifically stated when Naf will leave his position, and it has not detailed the circumstances of his decision.

But Naf has been under pressure for several months, not least from the Bahraini Parliament which had called for him to be replaced earlier this year.

No transition date has been given. But Majali confirmed his resignation from Royal Jordanian earlier this week, and Gulf Air says that its chairman, Talal Al Zain, will manage the Bahraini carrier temporarily until Majali takes over "within the next few months".

Al Zain says: "We have important plans for the future of Gulf Air and we believe [Majali] is the right leader to take the airline forward as we move into the next phase of our strategy to rebuild the business."

Naf took over at Gulf Air two years ago after Andre Dose's brief tenure at the helm of the airline.

Gulf Air's chief financial officer Neil Canty has also departed the carrier, citing personal reasons.