BIA and Gulf Air record significant passenger, air traffic growth

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Bahrain International Airport (BIA) and Gulf Air announced that the Kingdom’s aviation sector saw a significant growth during the first half of 2023.

The airport and airline both recorded a steady increase in passengers and air traffic compared to the same period last year, reflecting the success of their respective strategies and the ongoing recovery of the global aviation industry.

Over the past six months, Gulf Air welcomed 2,798,131 passengers, a 39.7% spike compared to 2,001,890 in 2022, and handled 38,300 tons of cargo.

BIA welcomed 4,098,582 passengers, up 43.2% from 2,862,976 last year, and recorded 44,160 air traffic movements, a 19.8% increase from 36,869 in 2022. Cargo tonnage handled reached 177,070, a 6.34% drop from 189,060 the previous year.

Captain Waleed Al Alawi, Gulf Air CEO, said that the H1 growth comes on the back of efforts to further develop our extensive network by adding seven new destinations and resuming popular routes as part of its successful summer campaign.

Served by modern fleet of 34 aircraft are routes to Alexandria and Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt; Goa, India; Mykonos, Greece; Nice, France; Bodrum, Turkey; and Malaga, Spain, to name a few, have proven incredibly popular.

“We look forward to building on our performance, cementing Bahrain’s position as a leading tourism destination, and showcasing the Kingdom’s renowned hospitality to the world,” he added.

Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah, BAC Chief Executive Officer, affirmed the importance of delivering excellent customer service to enhance air connectivity and route development.