A RECORD nine million passengers will pass through Bahrain International Airport by the end of this year, and passenger traffic through the international award winning airport is soaring by an average of nine per cent a year, according to airport director Mohammed Al Kaabi.
Bahrain Airport handled 7.3 million passengers last year. It also received the OAG-Routes Airport Marketing Award 2008 for Middle East & Commonwealth of Independent States Region at the 14th World Route Development Forum held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last month.
The award was presented in recognition of the work the Civil Aviation Affairs had carried out during this year to market new routes and promote the airport to airlines and passengers, said Al Kaabi.
“This reflects the great efforts put in by CAA’s marketing directorate and the directions from Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa,” he told the Gulf Daily News.
The airport has been witnessing an average nine per cent passenger growth annually, said Al Kaabi.
“During the peak months of July and August, the growth reached 26 per cent.”
“The marketing campaigns have enabled the airport to attract new airlines. Currently, 40 international airlines operate through our airport.
“We are negotiating with international airlines such as United and Malaysian Airlines, which have shown interest to operate through Bahrain.”
The Bahrain Airport Company is studying a detailed expansion plan, to meet unprecedented growth, said Al Kaabi, and added that an international consultant was assisting the BAC team in the expansion plan.
The award was received by Al Kaabi at a ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur. The CAA marketing team, led by acting director of marketing & promotion Syed Mohammed Mehdi, head of aviation marketing Waleed Fakhro, and senior public relations specialist Yousif Shehab, also attended the ceremony and held one-to-one meetings with various international airlines.