BAHRAIN Airport Services (BAS) is investing BD10 million (26.5 million) in new equipment and services for a total facelift to the 30-year-old company, it was revealed yesterday.
It will also spend BD300,000 on training for its Bahraini staff next year, said board chairman Fawzi Kanoo.
"We are committed to providing total quality ground support," he told a press conference at the BAS headquarters in Muharraq recently. “Our belief is that customers and clients are looking for the best in personalised service. We as one team will go that extra mile to provide that. As we enter 2007, we have 2007 employees, and 87 per cent of them are Bahrainis.”
Kanoo, deputy chairman Jalal Mohammed Jalal and general manager for human resources Salman Al Mahmeed briefed the media about the company's achievements and future plans.
The media members were also taken on a tour of the BAS Aircraft Engineering Training Centre as well as the catering facilities.
“The investment of BD10 million on new handling equipment, new buildings, buses and services, started in May this year, will be completed by June next year,” said Kanoo.
“We are giving special emphasis to the ongoing training and development of our staff, for which we have earmarked BD300,000 for next year. The BAS board and management have decided to further upgrade the skills of the employees by sending them for training courses, conferences and exhibitions abroad,” he said.
The catering facilities at BAS have shown a steady improvement over the years, said Kanoo. “We currently serve up to 20,000 meals a day, catering to more than 36 airlines.”