Beond plans to operate up to 10 aircraft in Bahrain by 2030

Boutique leisure airline Beond plans to launch a premium airline in Bahrain and base up to 10 aircraft in the kingdom by 2030, after signing a Letter of Intent with Bahrain’s Civil Aviation Affairs to obtain a Bahrain-based Air Operator Certificate (AOC).

 

Signed as part of the kingdom’s new national aviation strategy, the deal will see the airline use Bahrain as a base for services to high-value leisure and business markets across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America. Unlike volume-driven carriers, Beond’s premium leisure model focuses on destination-led travel with fully lie-flat seating, elevated service and design-led comfort.

 

Under the partnership, Beond expects to contribute an estimated US$1.2 to 1.5 billion to Bahrain’s GDP during its first five years of operations, creating more than 1,200 direct high-skilled jobs and supporting more than 6,000 indirect roles across tourism, hospitality and logistics. 

 

The airline also plans to develop training programmes for pilots, cabin crew, engineers and ground staff, focusing on advanced aviation skills through simulators and maintenance facilities. It aims to leverage Bahrain’s strong infrastructure and regulatory environment to deploy AI across operations, revenue management and the passenger experience, fostering local expertise in next-generation aviation and digital transformation.

 

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Tero Taskila, CEO of Beond, said the agreement provides an opportunity to “build a premium aviation platform that strengthens connectivity, develops specialised talent, and supports innovation across the travel value chain.” He added that establishing a Bahrain-based airline was a “natural next step in our multi-jurisdictional strategy”, supported by future market entries in the US and India as the carrier continues to scale its premium offering globally.

 

It also marks a major step in the airline’s expansion plans across the Middle East, having already confirmed plans to base and operate aircraft within Saudi Arabia, as it targets carrying one million premium passengers in its all-business-class aircraft by 2030. The airline has previously said it plans to add at least four new destinations to its network in 2026 and reach more than 30 destinations globally by 2030.

 

The agreement aligns with Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030, backing the kingdom’s push to diversify its economy, grow the private sector and develop homegrown expertise in aviation and technology.

 

It comes as Bahrain’s new national aviation strategy gains momentum, with AirAsia X selecting the kingdom for its first Middle East hub and planning more than 25 daily flights via Bahrain by 2030, adding direct links to Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, with potential to extend services to Europe and North America.

 

For more information, visit www.flybeond.com