AirAsia to set up Middle East hub in Bahrain

Budget carrier AirAsia is gearing up to establish Bahrain as its first Middle East hub, setting the stage for a new wave of low-cost connections between Southeast Asia and the Gulf. 

 

As the first Asian budget airline to set up a hub in the region, the Kuala Lumpur-based airline aims to operate more than 25 daily flights via Bahrain by 2030, offering direct links from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, with potential to extend its reach to Europe and North America

 

The strategy forms part of parent company Capital A’s multi-year expansion plans, cemented by an agreement with Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications that covers not only route development but also aviation operations, cargo, maintenance and talent development. 

 

AirAsia is also considering a Bahrain-based air operator certificate to unlock growth across the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. 

 

By decade’s end, the airline expects to serve more than 20 million travellers each year via Bahrain and inject BHD 3 billion (USD 8 billion) into the local economy.

 

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The hub’s development is tipped to create more than 100,000 jobs across aviation and related industries, offering opportunities for Bahraini professionals and reinforcing the kingdom’s growing status as a bridge between Asia, the Gulf, Europe and Africa. 

 

AirAsia’s ambitious expansion is set to heat up competition for regional low-cost operators including Air Arabia, Flynas, Jazeera Airways and SalamAir, all of whom maintain strong networks between the Gulf and Asia.

 

Demand for Gulf-Southeast Asia travel continues to climb, with Air Arabia adding daily non-stop flights from Sharjah to Krabi this month and ramping up Sharjah–Phuket services to three flights a day starting 15 December. 

 

For more information, visit airasia.com