Bahrain Air (Arabic: طيران البحرين) was an airline of the Kingdom of Bahrain, headquartered in the Mohamed Centre in Muharraq.[2][3] Its main base was Bahrain International Airport. The airline flew to 16 destinations in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. In earlier statements the airline planned to increase its destinations to 23 cities by 2009 and up to 25 cities by 2010. Prior to its voluntary liquidation in 2013, Bahrain Air flew to 17 destinations (flights to Alexandria were seasonal).[4] In 2012, the airline complained via local media about the measures undertaken by the Minister of Transportation, also the competing airline Gulf Air's head of restructuring committee when the airline's route schedule and frequencies were reduced by up to 30% without prior notice. The airline, having sought every route possible to overcome the Minister's act of Conflict of Interest, declared bankruptcy on 12 February 2013. The airline complained of conflict of interest.[1][5]

Bahrain Airways
IATA ICAO Callsign
BN BAB BAHRAIN AIR
Founded2007
Commenced operations1 February 2008
Ceased operations12 February 2013[1]
Operating basesBahrain International Airport
HubsBahrain International Airport
Frequent-flyer programLoyalty Rewards Program
Fleet size4
Destinations17
HeadquartersMuharraq, Bahrain
Key peopleShaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa (Chairman)

Bahrain Air started operations on 1 February 2008 as a low-cost airline but changed its operating model to full service by early 2010. The airline was headed in the U.A.E by its Country Manager, Rashid Al Moosa and by its UAE-Sales & Marketing Nicky Bijlaney[6] The inaugural flight occurred on 3 February 2008, from Bahrain to Dubai.[7] The airline used a new Airbus A320 fleet, with 12 seats in business and 150 in economy.[8] The airline had its own in-flight magazine, called Reesha.[9] Bahrain Air was one of the few airlines which did not serve alcoholic beverages on its flights.[10]

Destinations edit

Bahrain Air used to serve the following destinations (as of December 2012):[11]

Country City Airport Notes
Bangladesh Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport
Dhaka Shahjalal International Airport
Bahrain Bahrain Bahrain International Airport Hub
Egypt Alexandria Borg El Arab Airport
Ethiopia Addis Ababa Bole International Airport
India Kochi Cochin International Airport
Kozhikode Calicut International Airport
Mumbai Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport
Trivandrum Trivandrum International Airport
Iraq Baghdad Baghdad International Airport Terminated
Najaf Al Najaf International Airport Terminated
Jordan Amman Queen Alia International Airport
Kuwait Kuwait City Kuwait International Airport
Lebanon Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport
Nepal Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport
Qatar Doha Doha International Airport
Saudi Arabia Dammam King Fahd International Airport
Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport
Riyadh King Khalid International Airport
Sudan Khartoum Khartoum International Airport
Syria Damascus Damascus International Airport
Turkey Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport
United Arab Emirates Dubai Dubai International Airport

Fleet edit

 
A Bahrain Air Airbus A320 taking off from Dubai International Airport.

As of December 2012, the Bahrain Air fleet consisted of the following aircraft, with an average age of 4.5 years:[12]

Bahrain Air fleet
Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers
J Y Total
Airbus A319 2 0 12 120 126
Airbus A320-200 2 0 12 150 162
Total 4 0

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Bahrain Air Ceases Operation". CRI English. Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  2. ^ "Contact Us Archived 11 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine." Bahrain Air. Retrieved on 22 June 2010.
  3. ^ "HQ Map Archived 11 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine." (image Archived 11 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine) Bahrain Air. Retrieved on 22 June 2010.
  4. ^ Destinations Archived 24 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine Bahrain Air
  5. ^ "Statement on Bahrain Air website". Archived from the original on 11 February 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  6. ^ "Bahrain Air mission". Archived from the original on 12 September 2008. Retrieved 7 November 2008.
  7. ^ "Bahrain Air History". Archived from the original on 22 June 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  8. ^ "Bahrain Air fleet". Archived from the original on 7 November 2008. Retrieved 7 November 2008.
  9. ^ Bahrain Air Introduces in-flight magazine Archived 11 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine Bahrainair.net
  10. ^ "Major Airlines that Don't Serve Alcohol". ShawnVoyage.
  11. ^ "Bahrainair routemap". Archived from the original on 24 January 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  12. ^ Bahrain Air fleet list at planespotters.net