Bahrain Air plans to add more flights to Dubai

Bahrain Air is planning to increase the number of Dubai-bound flights from 16 to 21 a week and expand its routes in the Middle East, said Captain Ebrahim Al Hamer, managing director of the carrier. The carrier will fly three times weekly to Dubai starting next year, up from the current twice a week, as it seeks to boost its market share here. \"Dubai is a big market, the size of business and the economy is growing and the economic situation in the UAE, especially Dubai, is similar to Bahrain in terms of the type of economy and the focus on financial services. The two markets complement each other. So therefore it makes sense to service tourism and business,\" Al Hamer said. Following the political turmoil in Bahrain, the carrier\'s sales dropped 65 per cent from February to June, he told Gulf News. \"The sales in summer were much better, but there was still Ramadan and the political events in the Arab world. This exerted pressure on income. Now from September to December, with more security in Bahrain, trust and economic recovery, with the Haj and Eid, we hope the performance will be better.\" With this optimism about the region, Bahrain Air is adding three routes to the current 15 in the Middle East and sub-continent by mid-2012 but would not disclose the destinations yet. The daily flights to Kuwait, which were suspended in February due to the political unrest in Bahrain and the region, are now back to one flight a week, Al Hamer said. Bahrain Air opened a regional sales office in Dubai yesterday. \"Through this office we hope to concentrate on the Dubai market and grow here by interacting directly with travel agencies and being close to them,\" he said. \"The growth rate in the Dubai market is still less than the growth rate of passengers going through Dubai International Airport. There is still potential to get a bigger market share.\"