Gulf Air Group (GFG), Bahrain’s aviation group, achieved significant growth in 2024 in passenger traffic, network expansion, and strategic initiatives, underscoring its commitment to strengthening Bahrain’s aviation sector and contributing to the kingdom’s economic growth.
The group on Monday reported its 2024 performance across subsidiaries: Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain; Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), the operator and managing body of Bahrain International Airport (BIA); and Gulf Aviation Academy (GAA), the group’s training arm.
The report said Gulf Air added six new destinations to its roster in 2024: AlUla in Saudi Arabia (seasonal), Shanghai and Guangzhou in China, Mykonos/Rhodes in Greece (seasonal), Geneva in Switzerland (seasonal), and Munich in Germany.
The airline also resumed services to Baghdad and Najaf in Iraq, and increased flight frequencies to key destinations including Doha in Qatar, Muscat in Oman, Manchester in the UK, Milan and Rome in Italy and Singapore further solidifying its global reach.
This strategic growth resulted in a 5.4 percent increase in passenger numbers, reaching a total of 6.2 million passengers in 2024 compared to 5.9 million in 2023.
The airline also strengthened its fleet with the addition of two new A321NEO aircraft, bringing the total fleet size to 42. Building on its commitment to connectivity, Gulf Air forged 23 (new or renewed) partnership agreements with leading airlines. The airline also expanded its codeshare network to 20 partners, including a new agreement with Azerbaijan Airlines, and increased unique codeshare destinations by 10 through an expanded partnership with Thai Airways.
Bahrain International Airport, managed and operated by Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), witnessed a surge in passenger traffic, welcoming 9.4 million passengers in 2024, with a 7.3 percent increase compared to 8.7 million passengers in 2023. Total flight movements reached 98,596, comprising 49,282 arrivals and 49,314 departures. Cargo operations also experienced robust growth, handling over 390,000 tonnes of cargo, an 11.2 percent increase compared to the previous year. This strong performance was complemented by the commencement of the first phase of the Express Cargo Village, which is projected to reach 1.3 million tonnes of cargo capacity annually, up from the current 360,000 tonnes, further enhancing BIA’s cargo handling capabilities.
BAC also expanded BIA’s network by welcoming Fly Jinnah, Pakistan’s leading low-cost carrier, to its growing network, as well as Iraqi Airways and Ajet.
The company’s commitment to excellence was recognised with prestigious industry awards, including the coveted 5-Star Skytrax rating for the fourth consecutive year, the “Airport Operator of the Year for Medium Size Airport” and “Aviation Sustainability Award” at the 2024 Aviation Achievement Awards, as well as the Skytrax “Best Airport Staff in the Middle East 2024” award.
Gulf Aviation Academy (GAA) achieved significant milestones in 2024, solidifying its position as a leading aviation training provider. Key achievements include a partnership with Riyadh Air for cabin crew training, securing the validation certificate from the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), and the introduction of state-of-the-art B737 and B787 Full Flight Simulators. GAA also partnered with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to offer advanced training programs.
Furthermore, GAA achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification and received an “Outstanding” rating from Bahrain’s Education and Training Quality Authority for the third consecutive year, reaffirming its commitment to high-quality service delivery. It also expanded regional reach with a new training agreement with Dammam Airport Company (DACO).
