Bahrain Lands AirAsia Dea

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain is set to strengthen its aviation footprint after signing a Letter of Intent with Capital A Berhad, parent company of AirAsia, to explore establishing Bahrain as AirAsia’s Middle East hub.

The deal, formalised during the Gateway Gulf Investment Forum yesterday, marks the start of a partnership that could connect ASEAN markets with the Gulf’s fast-growing aviation corridor.

The agreement outlines collaboration across future airline operations, logistics, maintenance and talent development, seen as part of the Kingdom’s drive to anchor high-value sectors under Vision 2030.

H.E. Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, said the initiative would help establish a complete aviation ecosystem at Bahrain International Airport, covering AirAsia’s operations, Bahrain Hub, Asia Digital Engineering and Teleport, as a specialist in cargo logistics.

“This initiative will bring new opportunities to Bahrain,” H.E. said. “It aligns with our Economic Vision 2030 by strengthening our global connectivity, creating skilled jobs for citizens and giving a significant boost to our GDP. We look forward to embarking on this exciting journey with Tony Fernandes and his team as we open a new chapter in Bahrain’s aviation growth.”

Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A, said the partnership represented a new venture for AirAsia beyond Southeast Asia. “Today marks a new venture in the airline industry, to look at building a hub outside our own region,” he said.