Bahrain International Airport joins Skytrax list of International 5-star rated airports

TDT | Muharraq

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain International Airport (BIA) joined the highest-ranking international airports to become the third airport in the Middle East to receive a 5-star rating from Skytrax, the world's top airport and airline rating body.

The Transportation & Telecommunications Minister and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) Chairman Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed met with Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted to receive a plaque commemorating the achievement.

The accolade recognizes the high standards of BIA’s facilities and services.

The rating includes direct services for departures, arrivals, and diverted flights, including airport facilities and customer services, security, immigration, and retail, as well as food and beverage facilities.

“This international-level achievement by BIA owes a lot to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s support for the aviation sector and the full backing of the government, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. This sector is a pillar of the Kingdom’s economic growth and a major focus of its development plan for the logistics sector,” the minister said.

“This ranking also reflects the tireless efforts of the BAC team, our strategic partners, and airport service providers, as well as ‘Team Bahrain’. They all strive to implement the highest international standards in their provision of services to travellers and airlines and their close supervision of the airport’s facilities, to ensure operational continuity and the highest levels of efficiency and safety,” he added.

The minister expressed his pride in this achievement during the new Passenger Terminal's first year of operation. This reflects the efficacy of its design, construction, and ability to meet and exceed the needs of travellers. He noted that Bahrain’s gateway to the world serves all economic sectors, and the completion of the project’s second phase will ensure that the airport can deliver an unforgettable travel experience.

"I would like to thank BAC employees for their contributions towards this achievement and their tireless efforts in helping to ensure the highest levels of service during the airport’s first year of operations. I would also like to thank our strategic partners for their continuous support and cooperation, which contributed to the airport making a major impact globally. This prestigious accolade inspires us to continue to offer an exceptional travel experience in 2022. We will continue to elevate our high standards as we continue with the Airport Modernization Program,” BAC CEO Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah.

“This achievement reflects the excellence of the airport's operations, services and facilities, and its 5-star customer service. The new passenger terminal is equipped with advanced technology to enhance efficiency and security while providing improved levels of service aimed at exceeding customer expectations. These advancements streamline many time-consuming processes and procedures, reducing waiting times and giving passengers more control over their journeys,” Al Binfalah added.

“It is a great achievement for Bahrain International Airport to become just the third airport in the Middle East to achieve this highest 5-Star Airport Rating. It is a much-deserved recognition of the high standards provided at BIA. Described as a boutique airport, it provides an excellent range of passenger facilities with a very pleasant ambience, and the terminal design makes this a most customer-friendly airport, whether departing, arriving, or in transit,” Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted said.

BIA’s new passenger terminal opened in 2021, increasing the airport’s capacity to 14 million passengers annually. The state-of-the-art facility positions BIA as the most modern boutique airport in the Gulf and reinforces its reputation as an attractive hub for airlines and passengers.