Kuwait's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has formally revoked Wataniya Airways' Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) after the dormant carrier failed to resume flights by December 7.

The airline had suspended all flight operations on September 2 after a lack of aircraft had triggered multiple flight cancellations and delays. Four days later, the DGCA suspended its AOC for three months on pain of revocation if it failed to resume commercial flights.

A regulatory spokesman, Saad Al-Otaibi, said in a statement to the KUNA news agency on Saturday, December 8, that Wataniya Airways had failed to restructure its operations and resume flights as required thus warranting the cancellation of its licences.

He added that this decision is to protect the safety of passengers as well as their financial rights, and the rights of the state.

Wataniya Airways had operated a fleet of two A320-200s both of which have been returned to Air Arabia (G9, Sharjah). It had also wet-leased in A319-100 capacity from Olympus Airways (OLY, Athens) during the past summer season.

Wataniya Airways is majority-controlled by Al Tuwaijri Group.