UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF
HIS MAJESTY THE KING
HIS HIGHNESS SHAIKH ABDULLA BIN HAMAD AL KHALIFA PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF HIS MAJESTY THE KING
INAGURATES BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW 2018
PRESS RELEASE
- Signing award for the design and renovation of the Civil Aviation Affairs building at Bahrain International Airport
- Bahrain National Space Science Agency signs MOU with UAE Space Agency
- Saudi Aramco announces US$700 million deal for 26 helicopters
-
Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunication signs 4 Air Service Agreements with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Brunei Darussalam and The
Republic of Brazil
Wednesday 14th November 2018: The first day of the Bahrain International Airshow, which is held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom
of Bahrain, opened today with the senior figures from the commercial and military aerospace industry in attendance. Officially inaugurated by His Highness Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa,
Personal Representative of His Majesty the King and the Chairman of BIAS Supreme Organising Committee, the fifth edition of the show witnessed attendance from 187 companies and saw a number of
strategic announcements being made that would further Bahrain’s position as a major transportation hub in the Middle East.
His Excellency Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications extended his congratulations to His Majesty the King of
the Kingdom of Bahrain on the launch of the fifth edition of the Bahrain International Airshow, a firmly established global aerospace event and the fastest growing airshow in the Middle
East.
His Excellency also praised the success of BIAS on the first day, which adds to the Kingdom’s achievements under the wise guidance of His Majesty the King. He
also stressed on the ongoing success of BIAS due to growing regional and international participation, and the pivotal role it plays in contributing to the national
economy.
On this occasion, His Excellency commented, "We are pleased to have 11 of the top 15 global aerospace businesses in participating in this edition of the show
where a number of announcements and high level meetings with international civil and military delegations were conducted which we expect to see more of during the next two
days”.
Most significantly of these was Bahrain Airport Company’s signings with three companies. The first signing was for the design and renovation of the Civil
Aviation Affairs building with Gulf Engineering House which will transform it into a private aviation terminal to cater to VIPs and business leaders.
The new, state-of-the-art facility is expected to be completed by 2020 and will offer various services to meet the needs of private jet owners and users
travelling through Bahrain International Airport (BIA). The second signing was the award of a catering contract for all four of its lounges to Bahrain Airport Services (BAS), and the third was
for the operation of the new Passenger Terminal Building’s airport clinic which was awarded to Bahrain Specialist Hospital that will allow for healthcare professionals to be on hand 24/7 to
provide various medical services to passengers and airport staff at the new facility.
Gulf Air and Etihad Airways also signed an MoU which covers a scope to introduce joint codeshare operations between Abu Dhabi and Manama. Additionally, Saudi
Aramco announced its agreement at the value of $700 million US dollars for the provision of 26 helicopters.
Alongside this, the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications also signed Air Service Agreements with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Brunei, and
Brazil. HE the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications also met with Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport Nusrat Ghani where His Excellency praised the strong
bilateral relations between the Kingfom of Bahrain and the United Kingdom.
The show also highlighted developments for the Bahrain space sector. As the responsible Minister for the National Space Science Agency (NSSA), HE the Minister of
Transportation and Telecommunications signed an MOU with the UAE Space Agency and Khalifa University that would see the organisations working together on a two-year study programme to develop
nano-satellites.
Press Release BIAS
Photos BIAS