BIAS 2016 true indicator of Bahrain’s position on global aviation map

The fourth edition of the Bahrain International Airshow is a true indicator of Bahrain’s position on the global aviation map, said Transportation and Telecommunications Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee for the Bahrain International Airshow 2016 Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed. "The number and diversity of companies that will be joining us in Bahrain over the next few days speaks volumes about the major growth this show has enjoyed since it was established in 2010," he added.

High level delegations from KSA, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey, USA, Czech Republic, Georgia, India, Russia, France, Hungary, UK, US, Turkey, and Brazil will be attending the show to take part in scheduled meetings, represented by Ministers of Transport and Economy, Civil Aviation chiefs, CEOs of airline companies and senior executives from government and private sectors. 

Several conferences and networking opportunities are also being held during BIAS 2016 including an ‘Air Transport in the 21st Century Conference’ which will be held on the second day of the show. Speakers include Ahmed Al Nemah, Acting Undersecretary for Civil Aviation Affairs at MTT, Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, and Mohammed Al Binfalah, CEO of Bahrain Airport Company. A seminar on the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) new Standard Safety Assessment (ISSA) programme will be held on the third day, and is expected to be attended by around 60 participants. A Hosted Buyer programme is also being introduced, which will provide participating companies scheduled itineraries in which they can meet prospective clients. 

In addition to the conference programme, the show will host a feature pavilion which will feature areas for numerous countries including Kuwait, UK (through the UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), USA, France, India, Russia, Sudan, and Turkey, as well as additional companies in the aviation industry allowing trade visitors to see their latest products and learn about their services. 

Saudi Arabia will have a notably large presence, with over 10 companies participating under the umbrella of the General Authority for Civil Aviation, while the UK area will be dedicated to celebrating 200 years of Bahrain- British relations and major milestones in their aviation partnership, including the 40th anniversary of Concorde’s inaugural flight into Bahrain on 21 January 1976.

Over 100 aircraft are scheduled to be on display at the trade show, with a strong contingent of both commercial and military aircraft including Gulf Air, Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airways and first-time exhibitor Kuwait Airways from the commercial side and Turkish Aircraft Industries, RAF, US Air force and US Navy, and the Indian Airforce on the military side. 

Daily aerobatic flying displays will feature the Saudi Hawks, UAE’s Al Fursan, India’s Sarang Helicopter Display Team, Mark Jeffries and the Twister Aerobatics team. The Bahrain Defence Force Special Forces parachute team will also participate. Validations have been conducted over the past few days as the teams’ preparations started upon their arrival in Bahrain.

On the public side, a wide variety of on-the-ground attractions and activities will be available for the whole family and include exciting games and aviation simulators. Different musical performances will also be hosted on each day as well as an array of street performers including magicians and stilt walkers. 
All public area activities are held in the dedicated public area adjacent to the trade area. Ticketholders can access the public area via the Bahrain International Circuit, where shuttles will be available to transfer them to the public area.

More information can be found on www.bahraininternationalairshow.com, and by following the Airshow social media accounts:@bahairshow (twitter) and @bahraininternationalairshow (instagram).