Gulf Air adds extra flights to London Heathrow during the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix weekend

Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain: Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, announces that it has added an additional daily flight from London Heathrow to Bahrain on March 16, 17, 21 and 22 to operate three daily services during the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix weekend taking place on March 18 – 20. Gulf Air currently operates double daily flights to London Heathrow, a direct route that has been part of the airlines network since 1970 and these additional special flights will take off from London Heathrow at 1510 local and land in the Bahrain at 0050 local, and the flight from Bahrain will take off at 0830 local and land in London Heathrow at 1255 local. Passengers with a valid Formula One ticket and flying on Gulf Air flights to Bahrain from London Heathrow during this period will receive free lounge access at London Heathrow and at Bahrain International Airport.

On this occasion, Captain Waleed Abdulhameed AlAlawi, Gulf Air’s Acting Chief Executive Officer commented: “The demand for attendance to the season opener has definitely been significant and we are excited to welcome our global visitors to the Kingdom of Bahrain to witness the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix race. The race has always been an important global event for the Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Air and our partners the Bahrain International Circuit and adding an extra flight with our Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to match the demand for the race as spectator prepare their visits to attend.”

On behalf of the Bahrain Tourism & Exhibition Authority, Dr Nasser Qaedi, Chief Executive Officer commented: “2022 is proving to be an exciting year for tourism in Bahrain and the great reception we have been receiving from international travelers who are travelling to Bahrain to watch the season opener of the Formula One race is a testament to that. We are excited to welcome more tourists from the United Kingdom to enjoy both the race and the other activities and attractions happening on our island in March.”

On behalf of the Bahrain International Circuit, Shaikh Salman bin Isa AlKhalifa, Chief Executive commented: “In recent weeks we have seen great demand for tickets and travel packages from international fans, including from the UK. We are thankful to our partners at Gulf Air for adding to their capacity and we look forward to fans joining us from all over the world to celebrate the beginning of this great new era for the sport.”

The 2022 race will usher in a new era for F1, following possibly the biggest revolution of rules in the history of the sport. As the opening race of the season, it will be the first opportunity for F1 fans around the world to witness the new cars in action. It also follows the incredible excitement of the 2021 season, which was the closest in living memory.

Grammy Award-winning DJ and producer Afrojack was also recently announced as the first megastar concert act of the weekend. He is the first internationally renowned artist to be announced for this year's F1 weekend at BIC and will be lighting up the stage at the F1 Village vending area on the Friday evening. All Bahrain Grand Prix ticket-holders will be able to attend the concerts at no extra cost. Further details on concerts and entertainment will be amounted in the lead up to the event. Amongst the other attractions at BIC over the race weekend are stage acts and roaming performers, such as renowned street performer Abraham Thill, a life-sized Toy Brigade, Funky Style Band from Italy, Jam Batucada musical show from Spain, and plenty of other entertainment. Tickets can be bought online at BIC's official website www.bahraingp.corn

Recently, Gulf Air announced the return of its exclusive Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix packages on gulfair.com for passengers visiting Bahrain in coordination with Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority and the Bahrain International Circuit. This would allow eligible visitors to book a flight, accommodation, a 3-day race pass along with transport to and from the race, more information is available on gulfair.com/f1 and visit gulfair.com/covid19 for entry requirements. Learn more about the experiences Bahrain has to offer by visiting bahrain.com.

The airline currently operates its flights to over 80% of its pre-pandemic network; as Gulf Air continuously works closely with government authorities throughout destinations on its network to resume operations to those destinations. Gulf Air boasts a flexible and agile network by immediately adapting to government orders and civil aviation directives around its network and has been responsive to continuous changes and updates regarding operations to and from its network destinations. Recently, Gulf Air has received APEX’s Five Star Major Official Airline Rating; an award based solely on certified passengers’ feedback. In addition, Gulf Air has also received the Skytrax Five Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating after a vigorous audit by Skytrax Research that took place between November and December 2021. The rating comes as a testament to the success of Gulf Air’s operations in flying safely throughout the pandemic and enhancing its airport and onboard protocols to combat the spread of COVID-19. The airline receives this recognition by providing the highest standards to customers and staff whilst maintaining its boutique strategy to deliver its renowned Arabian hospitality.

© Press Release 2022