Bahrain Airport signs major concession agreements with Duty Free

MANAMA: Transportation and Telecommunications Minister and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) chairman Kamal Ahmed and Bahrain Duty Free Company (BDFC) chairman Farouk Almoayyed have signed two key concession agreements.

The first agreement is for the core duty free category, while the second is for the development and operation of airside speciality retail in the new passenger terminal building’s duty-free area.

With this, BDFC will be responsible for managing and operating retail points of sale at the duty-free area and its facilities at BIA.

Commenting, Mr Ahmed said, “We look forward to working with BDFC to improve the shopping experience for passengers at the new terminal. Most airports are places that travellers have to go through, this is an airport we hope they will want to go to. The new duty-free area will be four times larger than the existing terminal and retail areas will be three times bigger, offering passengers more variety and transforming Bahrain International Airport (BIA) into a key commercial hub.

“Duty free shopping is one of the most popular parts of the airport experience and we are confident that passengers will appreciate the enhanced selection of goods and competitive prices. With the launch of the new terminal in 2020, we look forward to delivering a hassle-free airport experience that offers comfort, connections and character.”

In addition to core categories, the new duty free area will house 30 leading brands entering Bahrain for the first time, and offering a wide variety of products including fashion, accessories, eyewear, toys, electronics, perfume, cosmetics, gold, tobacco and international confectionaries.

BDFC chairman Farouk Yousuf Almoayyed said: “The new passenger terminal building is one of the most important infrastructural developments in Bahrain. As a proud Bahraini company, we look forward to offering an entirely new retail experience to passengers travelling through the new facility.”

The signing ceremony was also attended by BAC chief executive Mohamed Al Binfalah, Gulf Air Group Holding (GFG) chief executive Paul Kehoe and other officials from the three companies.

GFG and BDFC established a joint venture in 2018 to invest in both the arrival and departure terminals to increase the contribution of the aviation sector to the local economy, in line with Economic Vision 2030.

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