Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, 21 April 2015

The Kingdom of Bahrain's national carrier Gulf Air, has officially transferred its operations to the new Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport in Al Madinah Al Munawarah, coinciding with the start of the airport's test run operations and in the lead up to its formal inauguration.

"Gulf Air was established in 1950 specifically to facilitate movement between the Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Since then, we have maintained strong relations with the Saudi market: continuing to study potential routes and strategically expanding and strengthening our offering to cater to passenger demand and connect travelers from the far corners of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to regional and international destinations through our network. We have been operating to Al Madinah Al Munawarah since June 2010 and we are delighted to welcome this new airport - a timely addition that will enhance and facilitate passenger movement," said Gulf Air A/Chief Executive Officer Mr. Maher Salman Al Musallam.

Gulf Air operates a 5 weekly service linking Al Madinah Al Munawarah to the airline's Bahrain hub, supplementing the national carrier's multiple daily flights to and from Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh and, most recently, the airline's 4 weekly service to both Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Regional Airport - ELQ, Gassim - and Ta'if Regional Airport - TIF, Taif - which were both launched in January 2015.

Catering to passenger demand the new Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport, occupies an area of 4 million square meters and can receive up to 160 aircraft daily. The airport has 64 travel desks that will increase by a further 16 during the peak travel periods of Ramadan and Haj while its current annual capacity of 8 million passengers will increase to 12 million when it is officially inaugurated.

Gulf Air flights can be booked online at gulfair.com, by calling the airline's 24 hour Worldwide Contact Centre on (+973) 17373737, or through any Gulf Air sales office and approved travel agencies.

-Ends-

About Gulf Air
Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, commenced operations in 1950, becoming one of the first commercial airlines established in the Middle East. Today, Gulf Air is a major international carrier serving 43 cities in 24 countries spanning three continents. The airline operates one of the largest networks in the Middle East, with double daily flights to over 10 regional cities, from its hub at Bahrain International Airport. Gulf Air serves all its destinations with a combination wide and narrow body fleet totaling 28 modern aircraft. Renowned for its traditional Arabian hospitality, evidenced by the airline's signature family and business friendly products, Gulf Air is committed to being an industry leader and developing products and services that reflect the evolving needs and aspirations of its passengers.

Gulf Air connects Bahrain to the world and, as such, is a key national infrastructure asset, serving as a powerful driver for the economy and supporting the Kingdom's on-going economic growth.

Gulf Air is the Title Sponsor of the 2015 FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX and was the Official Airline of the Bahrain International Airshow 2014.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Azza Mubarak Matar
Senior Manager Communications
Gulf Air Tel: +973 17338765 / +973 39652012
Email: Azza.Matar@gulfair.com

© Press Release 2015