MANAMA — Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, attended the announcement of a strategic partnership between the Kingdom and Capital A Berhad, the parent company of AirAsia, marking a significant step in strengthening Bahrain’s aviation and logistics ecosystem.
The partnership is aimed at expanding Bahrain’s aviation connectivity and reinforcing its role as a regional bridge between Asia and Europe. Officials highlighted plans to increase Bahrain’s network of destinations from around 70 to 100 in the coming years, leveraging AirAsia’s extensive network of approximately 140 destinations across Asia to boost tourism, trade, and business travel.
Beyond passenger services, the collaboration includes plans to establish an aircraft maintenance facility through Asia Digital Engineering, featuring 14 maintenance bays to support regional fleet growth. The initiative also involves strengthening logistics and air connectivity through Teleport, AirAsia’s logistics arm, contributing to aviation engineering capabilities and the development of local technical expertise.
The minister noted that the partnership aligns with Bahrain’s broader aviation strategy, including the expansion of air transport rights such as fifth and seventh freedom operations, aimed at improving connectivity, increasing competition, and enhancing the sustainability of the aviation sector.
Capital A Berhad CEO Tony Fernandes described the agreement as a milestone for AirAsia’s expansion strategy, positioning Bahrain as a strategic hub linking its Asian network with European markets, including future ambitions to extend routes toward London.
The partnership builds on a letter of intent signed during the Gateway Gulf Forum 2025, part of a wider package of investment initiatives exceeding $17 billion, and supports Bahrain’s ambition to strengthen its position as an integrated regional aviation and logistics hub.
