Gulf Air moves to new terminal at Bahrain International Airport

Gulf Air's 787 operating the airline's first flight from the new terminal

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain has moved to its brand new home,  the new terminal at Bahrain International Airport. Gulf Air takes pride to be a vital operator in the state-of-the-art terminal which features include a dedicated check-in area for both Falcon Gold and economy class passengers of Gulf Air as well as a brand new Falcon Gold lounge that is double in size and capacity compared to the previous one in the old airport.

At 210,000 sqm the new Passenger Terminal increases Bahrain International Airport’s capacity to around 14 million passengers and 130,000 air traffic movements per year with a handling capacity of 4,700 bags per peak hour.  

Gulf Air returns to Pakistan

Photo Gulf Air

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has restarted operations to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan with direct flights between Islamabad International Airport and Bahrain International Airport with flights from other cities in Pakistan being added in the coming days. In compliance with the Civil Aviation Authority in Pakistan, flights will only operate with passengers out of Pakistan at this time.

Due to the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, Gulf Air has temporarily suspended all flights to its 7 destinations in Pakistan (Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, Multan, Sialkot and Peshawar) in compliance with the order from the Civil Aviation Authority in The Islamic Republic of Pakistan from 21 March 2020.

The airline, being one of the few airlines regionally and globally to operate scheduled flights during the outbreak, has shown flexibility and agility to the government orders, civil aviation directives and airport closures around its network and has been responsive to continuous changes and updates regarding operations to and from its network destinations. Gulf Air will continue to monitor the readiness of airports and plan the resumption of its operation to most of its network.

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In response to national COVID-19 mitigation efforts, Gulf Air has successfully imported 82 tons of medical supplies from India with partner medical suppliers.  Throughout the month of May, Gulf Air has operated 4 cargo flights from and to different cities in India, carrying back medications, medical equipment and hygienic products.  Additionally, on May 27, Gulf Air operated a historic first in-a-series of cargo flights to Guangzhou, China, importing 21 tons of medical supplies in which the airline has utilised all compartments of its aircraft to maximise storage space.

Photo Gulf Air

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Bahrain International Airport open again for transit passengers says Gulf Air as the carrier imports fresh food from Europe

Transit through Bahrain International Airport is open again for international travellers, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain said on Saturday, though entry to the country is limited to Bahrainis and other residents during the coronavirus pandemic.

“In compliance with the new regulations issued by the Bahrain Civil Aviation Authority, we are welcoming back transit passengers through Bahrain International Airport. Arrival into Bahrain remains restricted to nationals and residents,” the airline said on social media. 

Manama-based Gulf Air and All Food Company, a Bahraini food supplier, imported approximately 4,000 kg worth of fresh produce from Europe using Gulf Air’s flagship Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on Wednesday. 

Gulf Air and All Food Co., in an initiative spearheaded by Team Bahrain, are working together to ensure that the global outbreak of the Coronavirus COVID-19 does not affect Bahrain’s food security.

Gulf Air invites Bahraini food suppliers to utilise its cargo operations, which are dedicated to ensuring a stable and safe food supply chain.

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Gulf Air drops change fees

Due to the current global developments, Gulf Air is offering unlimited changes without any change fees.

No Fees. Unlimited Changes.* - Applicable to new tickets issued from 10 to 31 March 2020 regardless of travel date - Unlimited changes without any change fees for future departure dates on the same route - Difference in fares may apply for the new departure dates - No refund if fare on new departure date is lower - Applicable to all fare types - Changes can be made by visiting ‘Manage My Booking’ on our mobile app or gulfair.com or by contacting the Gulf Air Contact Centre. Passengers who have made their bookings through a travel agent are advised to get in touch with the agents

Already Booked? Don’t Worry! We have also extended this policy change to all our passengers who have booked their tickets to travel this year - Unlimited changes without any change fees for future departure dates on the same route - Difference in fares may apply for the new departure dates - No refund if fare on new departure date is lower - Applicable to all fare types - Changes can be made by contacting the Gulf Air Contact Centre. Passengers who have made their bookings through a travel agent are advised to get in touch with the agents

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Gulf Air partners with Etihad Airways.................

Big news for Gulf Air's Falconflyer members as the Kingdom of Bahrain's national carrier has announced a new partnership with Etihad Airways, that allows Falconflyer members flying on any Etihad Airways flight to earn and redeem Falconflyer miles!

Gulf Air’s Falconflyer loyalty programme has inked a new partnership with Etihad Guest, the award-winning loyalty programme for Etihad Airways, further enhancing benefits for its members.

The partnership expands on the codeshare agreement between the two airlines and provides further cooperation between the frequent flyer programmes, Falconflyer and Etihad Guest. This allows members to earn and redeem miles reciprocally on all flights across both networks. In both cases, the number of miles earned will depend upon the class of travel flown.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Gulf Air agree codeshare partnership

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Gulf Air, the national airline of the Kingdom of Bahrain, have signed a codeshare partnership, for travel commencing from 27 October 2019. The announcement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two airlines and will further strengthen the strong ties between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Netherlands.

Gulf Air will place its ‘GF’ code on KLM flights from Bahrain to Amsterdam and flights from Amsterdam to Frankfurt. On the other hand, the agreement will see KLM place its ‘KL’ code on Gulf Air flights from Bahrain to Sialkot, Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar.

Oman Air and Gulf Air tie up codeshare deal to include international flights

Gulf Air, the Kingdom of Bahrain’s national carrier, and Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, has expanded their existing codeshare agreement allowing passengers to benefit from the outstanding products and services offered by the two airlines. This will extend travel opportunities to fly beyond Muscat and Bahrain effective from the upcoming summer schedule.

Gulf Air will place its ‘GF’ code on Oman Air flights from Muscat to Salalah and Khasab in Oman, Nairobi in Kenya, Zanzibar in Tanzania, Goa and Lucknow in India, Kathmandu in Nepal and Jakarta in Indonesia. On the other hand, the extended codeshare agreement will see Oman Air place its ‘WY’ code on Gulf Air flights from Bahrain to Tbilisi in Georgia, Baku in Azerbaijan, Gassim in Saudi Arabia and Beirut in Lebanon.

Gulf Air finalises $1 Billion CFM LEAP-1A engine order

Photo Gulf Air

Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain and CFM International have finalised a deal for 65 LEAP-1A engines to power the airline’s new fleet of Airbus A320neo family aircraft. The agreement, which includes engines for 17 A320neo and 12 A321neo, is valued at approximately $1 billion U.S. at list price.

The signing ceremony took place during the Bahrain Royal visit to Paris. The engine order was originally announced in November 2017.

Gulf Air has been a CFM customer since 1992 and currently operates a fleet of 16 Airbus A320ceo aircraft powered by CFM56-5B engines. With its new LEAP-1A-powered A320neo family aircraft, Gulf Air will strengthen its footprint in the Middle-East with new routes, while enhancing its services for customers.

Bahrain's Gulf Air signs deals with five french companies during the royal visit...

   

                                             Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has ceremonially signed a number of agreements with French-based companies during His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of Bahrain’s visit to France. The ceremonies took place during a business lunch organized by the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) and the MEDEF, France’s main organization of business owners.

“Gulf Air proudly continues to work with companies based in the Republic of France, contributing to the strong ties between the two countries.” HE Zayed bin Rashed Alzayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism and the Chairman to the Board of Directors at Gulf Air, said during the lunch in Paris “We have had a long and close relationship with French firms and these agreements solidify the confidence the aviation industry in the Kingdom of Bahrain has with France.”

The airline has signed with Airbus during the Bahrain International Airshow 2016 for an order of 12 A320neo (out of which 2 has been delivered already) and 17 A321neo with a total investment with French companies exceeding $3.5 billion.

Gulf Air reconfirms its relationship with India

Photo Gulf Air

Gulf Air – the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain – earlier this month conducted a visit to India in order to reaffirm the longstanding relationship between the Kingdom of Bahrain and India, unveiling a series of commercial dynamic plans for the Indian markets.

A gala dinner was held in New Delhi and attended by some of India’s top travel agency owners and directors as well as H.E. Abdulrahman Mohamed Al Gaoud, Bahrain’s Ambassador to India and members of Bahrain’s diplomatic mission in New Delhi, Indian government officials, media representatives and Gulf Air commercial teams from Bahrain and India stations.

Gulf Air awarded as fastest growing airline in middle east

 Gulf Air awarded as fastest growing airline in middle east

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, was recently awarded as the Fastest Growing Airline in the Middle East region at the 19th Airline Marketing Workshop organized by Athens International Airport in the Greek capital. The event takes place annually in Athens and includes all carriers that operate to and from Athens International Airport. The award ceremony was attended by Gulf Air’s representative who accepted the award on behalf of the airline.

Gulf Air and Etihad Airways sign a codeshare deal

From the start of this summer season, the national airline of the Kingdom of Bahrain - Gulf Air and the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways, have come together and signed a special codeshare partnership deal.  

This latest announcement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two carriers at the Bahrain International Airshow in November last year and will further strengthen the strong ties between the two countries and carriers.

The deal will see Gulf Air will place its ‘GF’ code on Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi to and from Bahrain, Brisbane, Chicago O’Hare, Jakarta, Lagos, Los Angeles, Melbourne, New York JFK, Sydney and Washington.

It will also see Etihad place its ‘EY’ code on Gulf Air flights from Bahrain to and from Abu Dhabi, Baghdad, Casablanca, Dhaka, Faisalabad, Larnaca, Malaga, Multan, Najaf, Peshawar, Sailkot and Tbilisi.

Passengers travelling to the USA with Etihad will be able to enjoy the preclearance facility offered at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility at Terminal 3 in Abu Dhabi Airport is a purpose-built facility that allows US bound passengers to process all immigration, customs and agriculture inspections in Abu Dhabi before they depart. On arrival in the US, guests arrive as domestic passengers, speeding up the arrival process and making onward connections more seamless.

Gulf Air gets its second A320neo.

Photo Gulf Air

Earlier this month, Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, welcomed the airline’s second Airbus A320neo to join the fleet, which landed in Bahrain International Airport on March 6th. This is the second aircraft of the 12 A320neo aircraft ordered during the 2016 Bahrain International Airshow. This delivery also makes Gulf Air the first national carrier to fly the A320neo in the Middle East and Africa region.

Gulf Air Chief Executive Officer Mr Krešimir Kučko commented: “We are delighted to welcome the second A320neo to our fleet, and proud to be the first national carrier in the region to operate the A320neo. We have a strong network in the region with multiple daily flights to 10 regional cities and the addition of A320neo into our fleet will strengthen our position in our market. We invite our loyal customers to come on-board and enjoy the experience of flying on A320neo.”

Gulf Air to start seasonal service to Spain's Malaga Airport

Photo Gulf Air

The national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Air has confirmed it will be starting a new route to Malaga, on the Costa del Sol in Spain. The airline will begin flying there on June 14th on a seasonal basis until September 15th.

“In line with our 5-year strategy to become the airline of choice, and in light of the recent adaptation of the new boutique business model, we are adding a seasonal destination to cater to summer’s peak travel demand,” said Gulf Air’s Chief Executive Officer Mr Krešimir Kučko. He also commented: “Malaga is known for its summer appeal as a holiday destination and is very popular to our customers in the region. Gulf Air is flying to a direct point in Spain for the first time and we are excited to offer this opportunity to everyone this summer.”

Gulf Air to become a boutique carrier

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has revealed its business plans for 2019 at a special conference held in the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Bahrain Bay and was attended by the airline’s Chairman, Executive Management, station managers from the airline’s network, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), Bahrain Airport Company and Gulf Air Group on Sunday 6th January.

As part of the airlines commitment to strengthen its position as a national asset to the economic growth of the Kingdom and in line with its 55-year strategy to become a customer airline of choice, Gulf Air announced its new boutique business model concept which will reinforce its focus on product and customer experience.  

As already done in the hospitality industry, Gulf Air will differentiate itself as a boutique airline that is different and unique in the way it operates comparing to the bigger airlines that are more volume driven. This approach will give the airline a competitive advantage that will translate in its new fleet, new Falcon Gold class offering, new exclusive products, new destinations for 2019 and its presence in the new terminal at Bahrain International Airport due to open towards the end of the year.

 

Fancy a break on Bahrain? Now you can with new stopover packages from Gulf Air

The national airline of The Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Air, has announced the launch of new stopover travel packages designed to promote the Kingdom of Bahrain as a tourist destination to its global customer base. The new stopover programme was launched in response to the directives of the Executive Committee, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior’s Nationality, Passport & Residence Affairs (NPRA), Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) and local destination management agencies.

Eligible passengers on Gulf Air can now explore Bahrain en-route before reaching their final destination. The stopover packages, available for both Falcon Gold and economy travellers for the duration of 1 – 4 days, can be booked via the airline’s website and worldwide contact centre. The packages comprise a wide range of hotel accommodations, day tours and excursions for authentic Bahraini experiences.

New Bahrain stopover packages.............Gulf Air reveals

The national airline of The Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Air, has announced the launch of new stopover travel packages designed to promote the Kingdom of Bahrain as a tourist destination to its global customer base. The new stopover programme was launched in response to the directives of the Executive Committee, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior’s Nationality, Passport & Residence Affairs (NPRA), Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) and local destination management agencies.

Eligible passengers on Gulf Air can now explore Bahrain en-route before reaching their final destination. The stopover packages, available for both Falcon Gold and economy travellers for the duration of 1 – 4 days, can be booked via the airline’s website and worldwide contact centre. The packages comprise a wide range of hotel accommodations, day tours and excursions for authentic Bahraini experiences.

Interior Ministry Undersecretary for Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA) His Excellency Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa further emphasized the importance of cooperating with Gulf Air for such projects that promote Bahrain as a tourist destination; expressing the will to continue supporting the national carrier to facilitate the entry of its passengers to the Kingdom.

Gulf Air and Etihad Aviation Training sign contract for simulator training

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has signed a contract with Etihad Aviation Training (EAT) to offer full flight simulator training to Gulf Air’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner pilots. The contract strengthens the ties between Gulf Air and Etihad Aviation Group following the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two companies at the Bahrain International Airshow in November.  

As part of the agreement, Gulf Air will dry lease EAT’s Full Flight Simulators at the training facility located in Abu Dhabi. The training will be conducted by Gulf Air instructors at the Etihad Training facility. Gulf Air’s Chief Operations Officer Captain Suhail Abdulhameed Ismaeel said: “We are happy to work hand in hand with our friends in Etihad Aviation Training and use their facilities to train our flying crew. This is the start of ongoing projects with Etihad Airways and Etihad Aviation Training.”

Deeper ties between Etihad Airways and Gulf Air

Codeshares and deeper ties on the way!

The national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Air and the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways, are set to explore deeper cooperation following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Bahrain International Airshow this week.

The memo includes provision for:

Joint codeshare operations as preferred partners between and beyond hubs

Development of commercial agreements to enhance guest experience

Coordinated Engineering and Cargo services in Abu Dhabi and Manama

Plans to offer reciprocal ‘earn and burn’ on frequent flyer programmes

The wide-ranging MOU covers scope to introduce joint codeshare operations between Abu Dhabi and Manama, as well as on the global flight networks beyond the two carriers’ GCC hubs.

The MoU also contains plans for greater commercial cooperation in the fields of cargo, engineering, guest experience and the optimisation of pilot training facilities. It was signed on the first day of the Bahrain International Airshow, currently taking place at the Sakhir Airbase, by Mr Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Aviation Group, and Mr Krešimir Kučko, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Air.

Kučko said: “The relationship between Bahrain and UAE is strong in many fields including aviation and today with the signing of this MoU we enrich the relationship by cooperating with Etihad Airways. This is an example of how two airlines can work h

and in hand for greater mutual benefits. We are happy to work with our friends and colleagues in Etihad and support each other to achieve bigger goals.”

Gulf Air appoints new chief commercial officer

The national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Air, announced recently the appointment of a new Chief Commercial Officer, taking up the role is Vincent Coste.  

Mr Krešimir Kučko, the Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Air welcomed Mr Coste to his new post along with the good wishes of the rest of the board. Coste comes with a wealth of aviation business experience, having spent 25 years in various commercial roles with airlines in the Europe, Americas,  Middle East and Africa. His most recent post was as Chief Commercial Officer of Kenya Airways where he spent the last 2 years establishing a new business model for the airline, to develop and grow. 

Mr Coste joins the Gulf Air management team at a significant time of change for the airline, earlier in 2018 the executive management of the carrier stated that 2018 was the #YearOfChange for the airline. Some of the changes include new livery, new fleet, new uniform, new destinations and a new strategy. 

By end of 2018, the airline is scheduled to receive 5 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and 1 Airbus A320neo aircraft in total. The new Dreamliners will be put on Gulf Airs double daily London Heathrow service as well as the flights to Casablanca. These latest additions to the fleet will enhance the on-board products and services the airline can provide.

(photo Gulf Air)