Bahrain - The government has been urged to establish a national low-cost airline in partnership with the private sector.

An urgent proposal was submitted yesterday by five MPs, led by Mohammed Al Olaiwi, who cited the growing demands from citizens and residents to expand affordable travel options.

Mr Al Olaiwi, who represents the constituency of the Bahrain International Airport area, said the initiative also aims to strengthen Bahrain’s position as a regional aviation hub.

He added that the proposal calls for launching a new low-cost carrier that would operate in a complementary role to the national carrier, Gulf Air, rather than compete with it.

“The idea is to focus on densely populated and price-sensitive destinations, and to open new routes that are not currently served by Gulf Air,” he said.

“This will ensure integration between the two carriers instead of overlapping roles, while giving travellers more choices at affordable prices.”

He stressed that many citizens and residents – especially families and young people – are burdened by the soaring cost of air travel, noting that the introduction of a low‑cost airline would significantly ease their financial strain.

“A national low-cost airline will make travel accessible to a much wider segment of society and support social and economic mobility,” Mr Al Olaiwi said.

According to the proposal, the new airline would also target passengers from GCC and neighbouring countries, encouraging them to use the kingdom as a starting point for regional and international travel.

“This project will attract large numbers of travellers to Bahrain, increasing transit traffic and reinforcing the kingdom’s status as a regional hub for travel and tourism,” Mr Al Olaiwi explained.

“That will directly stimulate economic and commercial activity across multiple sectors.”He added that the initiative aligns with Bahrain’s broader development vision and economic diversification goals.“Aviation and tourism are among the fastest-growing sectors globally. By investing in a low-cost carrier, Bahrain can increase the contribution of these sectors to GDP while creating sustainable growth opportunities,” he said.

MPs behind the proposal believe the airline could generate significant employment opportunities for Bahrainis, both directly and indirectly.“It will create new jobs in flight operations, cabin crew, engineering, customer service and administration,” Mr Al Olaiwi said.

“It will also revitalise supporting activities such as ground handling, maintenance, catering, logistics, training and other aviation-related services.”He noted that Bahrain’s strategic geographic location makes it well suited to host the headquarters and main operations of such a carrier.

“Our location in the heart of the Gulf allows us to maximise the developmental benefits of this project for both the public and private sectors,” he said.

A central pillar of the proposal is adopting a public-private partnership (PPP) model to establish and operate the airline.

“This approach reflects the state’s direction towards strengthening strategic partnerships with the private sector, reducing the financial burden on the general budget, and benefiting from private-sector operational and administrative expertise,” Mr Al Olaiwi said.

“Combining government support with private-sector know-how is the best way to build a strong, competitive low-cost carrier that can adapt to market changes and future challenges.”The proposal will be debated in Parliament today.

It comes just a few days after a deal was signed for Bahrain to become the regional hub for AirAsia X (AAX) with a staggering $10 billion investment pledge.

The commitment, aimed at creating 100,000 jobs over the next decade, will transform Bahrain into a strategic ‘bridge’ connecting Asia with Europe, Africa and Australia.

The GDN reported earlier this month that according to latest figures released by the Bahrain Airport Company, the kingdom’s aviation gateway welcomed 9.74 million passengers in 2025 – a 4.2 per cent increase compared to the 9.35m travellers recorded in 2024.

The milestone year also saw the airport handle a record 405,217 tonnes of cargo, marking a 3.2pc rise over the previous year.The airport network now spans 74 destinations across six continents, supported by partnerships with 39 airlines.

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