Bahrain Airport ‘sees 9mln passengers by end-2023’

Bahrain Airport ‘sees 9mln passengers by end-2023’

As many as nine million passengers are expected to travel through Bahrain International Airport (BIA) by the end of next year, signalling an almost complete recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, the operator’s top official has said.

Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) chief executive Mohamed Al Binfalah further told a fireside chat during the Bahrain-hosted International Air Transport Association (IATA) World Passenger Symposium (WPS) 2022 that 2022 is exceeding expectations with approximately 6.5m passengers expected to travel through BIA by the end of the year.

According to him, keeping passenger experience central to the company’s recovery strategy builds on the launch last year of BIA’s new passenger terminal – the most modern and passenger-friendly boutique airport in the region.

“And we have seen the results; like the rest of the world, we were badly affected, losing more than 75 per cent of our usual traffic in 2020,” he explained.

The official advocated focus on passenger experience, insisting it is essential to the recovery of the global aviation industry.

Mr Al Binfalah said: “With their routines having been disrupted for an extended period of time, it can be difficult for some passengers to return to regular air travel. Encouraging them to fly again requires a concerted effort by