Bahrain could soon see non-stop flights to the US, that was the message as United Airlines launched its first flight to Washington from the kingdom via Kuwait.
Senior vice-president alliances, international and regulatory affairs Mark Schwab said a non-stop flight was a strong possibility as he attended a reception to mark the inaugural flight and the opening of the company’s new office in Bahrain.
Thanking United’s partner Kanoo Travel and the Bahrain airport and government authorities which have made the new route possible Schwab said: “This flight is to Washington via Kuwait and the question people keep asking me is ‘when are we going to get a direct flight from Bahrain to the US?’
“I would say that, with the level of interest being shown, that day is really not very far away.”
United began direct flights to Washington DC from Kuwait City in October 2006, from Dubai in October 2008 and began daily operation from Bahrain on April 18, 2010.
The inaugural flight arriving from Washington was full and travellers witnessed a festive atmosphere on board and a VIP welcome as they landed in Bahrain.
Schwab said the success of the existing routes in the region had led to United’s decision to operate the new service which he said would attract travellers from a wide range of sectors from banking and oil and gas to students and US military.
“Our Washington Dulles hub will provide travellers from Bahrain with a wide range of connections across North America and, combined with the first-rate service we offer on board, this is a winning combination for travellers from Bahrain and other parts of the region,” he said.
United is the world’s second largest airline, carrying nearly a quarter of a million passengers per day on 3,100 flights. The airline flies to more than 200 domestic and international destinations in 26 countries on a fleet of over 400 aircraft.