The origins of Bahrain's international airport dates to 1927 when a chartered flight to Bahrain landed.[2] The first scheduledcommercial airliner to arrive inBahrain, in 1932, was a flight from London toDelhi operated on aHandley Page H.P.42 aircraft namedHannibal. The H.P.42 carried only 24 passengers, and the flight from London had taken several days of flying at speeds of 100 miles per hour. Through this regularly scheduled service, Bahrain became established as one of thePersian Gulf's first international airports[3] as well as one ofthe busiest airports in the Middle East.
During World War II, the airport was used by theUnited States Army Air ForcesAir Transport Command Central African Wing, being designated as Station # 13. It functioned as a stopover en route toAbadan Airport,Iran orSharjah Airport, in present-dayUAE on theKarachi-Cairo route.[4] From 1943 until Bahrain's independence in December 1971, theRoyal Air Force maintained a military installation at the airfield known initially asRAF Bahrain and from 1963 asRAF Muharraq.[5][6] The majority of these facilities were later acquired by the Bahraini flag carrier airline,Gulf Air, while a small portion continues to be utilized by theU.S. Navy as Aviation Support Unit (ASU) Bahrain.[citation needed]
In 1936, the operation ofH.P.42 aircraft from London to India viaBahrain had been stepped up to a twice-weekly frequency. In 1937, Bahrain saw the regular service of theEmpire sea planes. The landing strip of these giants on the water was from where the marina club is located in Mina Salman today. From the 1950s,BOAC operated several services a week through Bahrain. These included weekly services toKarachi,Singapore,Hong Kong and three times a week toSydney. 1950 was a significant year not only forMuharraq as an international airport, but also for Bahrain's commercial aviation history. In this year, a new local airline, Gulf Aviation Company, was formed – the forerunner ofGulf Air. The company started with only one aircraft, a second-handAnson Mark II, which was used initially on services toDhahran. However, within two years, the fleet had expanded to fourde Havilland aircraft andDC-3s for use on a steadily growing network in the Persian Gulf. This established Bahrain on an international stage. It was easily the most modern and advanced airport in the Persian Gulf with a good runway, control tower, lighting, communication facilities and even restaurants. It began to attract other carriers such asMiddle East Airlines,Air India,Air Ceylon andIran Air – mostly operatingDakotas. In December 1961, a new passenger terminal opened at the airport. During 1970–1971, RAF Muharraq was scaled back and eventually closed. In December 1971, the airport opened new passenger facilities, which included a wide area that could accommodate four747 aircraft. In 1976, the airport marked another significant first with the inauguration ofsupersonic flights, which saw the start-up of regularBAConcorde service between London and Bahrain.[7]Pan Am introduced direct flights to New York in December 1976. It operated the route with Boeing 747SPs.[8]
In the 1980s and 1990s, major facelifts took place and several major airline companies made the airport a destination. In 1994, a US$100 million terminal was inaugurated which boosted the airport's maximum capacity to 10 million passengers a year.[7] In July 1994, Gulf Air started nonstop service to New York on Airbus A340s. Due to the length of the route, westbound flights occasionally had to make a refuelling stop.[9][10]
In 2008, the airport was placed under the management of the newly createdBahrain Airport Company, which falls under the umbrella of the Gulf Air Holding Company, which in turn is owned byMumtalakat, Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund.[11] On 8 October 2009, it was announced that BHD 1.8 billion expansion of Bahrain International Airport will start in 2010. The expansion, planned over the next 30 years, intended to triple the passenger capacity to 27 million a year.[12]
In April 2010,United Airlines began service to Washington, D.C., via Kuwait. The carrier flew the route with a Boeing 777.[13] United left Bahrain in January 2016.[14]
Since 2020 the airport has placed an increased effort to enhance the sustainability of the airport, including aLEED gold certification for the new Terminal Passenger Building in 2021,[15] achieving a second consecutiveISO recertification for quality, environmental and occupational health and safety management systems in March 2024[16] and becoming the first airport in the world to achieve theInternational Air Transport Association Environmental Assessment Certification in November 2024.[17]
The airport's new $1.1 billion terminal opened on 28 January 2021.[18] At 210,000 square metres (2,300,000 sq ft), the Passenger Terminal increases Bahrain International Airport's (BIA) capacity to 14 million passengers and 130,000 air traffic movements per year with a handling capacity of 4,700 bags per peak hour.[19] The new terminal cost 1.1 billionUSD. The terminal features check-in halls, check-in desks, passport control booths, E-gates, security lanes, a 9,000 m2 (97,000 sq ft) duty-free retail space, lounges, food and beverage zones, 24 departure gates, and 7,000 new parking spaces both at-grade and in multi-story facilities.
Through the airport's 25,000 m2 (270,000 sq ft) Cargo Terminal, a wide range of services are offered, including export cargo sales, transhipment, inter-airport trucking, and customs clearance. Bahrain is also the regional hub forDHL Aviation. With 115 weekly flights and 250 vehicles, DHL operates an integrated air and land network. Other cargo and logistics companies operating out of the airport include FedEx, TNT Express, Aramex, and Global Logistical Services (GLS).[citation needed]
Bahrain Airport Services (BAS) provides airport services at Bahrain International Airport (BIA). Supported by a 3,000-strong staff, BAS is an ISAGO-accredited Ground Service Provider. Overseeing the Kingdom's oil, gas, and petroleum assets, Bahrain Jet Fuel Company (BJFCO) is a joint venture between Bahrain Airport Company and thenogaholding. BJFCO is currently constructing a fuel farm complex in the northeastern area of the airport as part of a major restructuring of the Kingdom's aviation fueling industry.
The airport is situated in central Muharraq and has transportation connections with the capital city Manama through the Airport Avenue roadway andShaikh Isa Causeway. Bahrain International Airport is served 24/7 by several taxi operators. Bahrain Public Transport Company (BPTC) provides buses.
On 12 June 1950, anAir FranceDouglas DC-4 crashed 5.5 km (3.4mls) into the sea SE of Bahrain because the pilot did not keep an accurate check of his altitude and rate of descent during the approach, allowing the aircraft to impact the sea. Pilot fatigue also may have played a factor. 46 out of the 52 passengers and crew were killed.[101]
On 14 June 1950, just two days later, an Air France Douglas DC-4 flying the same leg crashed again into the sea at night SE of Bahrain because of similar errors on approach two days prior. Also BAH lacked radio landing aids and suitable runway approach lights. 40 of the 53 passengers and crew died.[102]
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Qatar
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