AirAsia reaffirms commitment to Bahrain aviation hub

AirAsia Group has reaffirmed its intention to establish Bahrain as a strategic hub connecting Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia. Following the appointment of a seven-member board for its Bahrain subsidiary on November 1, 2026, the company is now targeting the commencement of regular passenger operations at Bahrain International Airport by March 2027.

The project, which was first unveiled in February 2026, originally aimed for a June 2026 launch. However, geopolitical tensions and subsequent airspace restrictions in the Middle East and Gulf regions forced a temporary suspension of planned routes, including the long-haul connection between Kuala Lumpur and London-Gatwick via Bahrain.

Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A and advisor to AirAsia Group, stated that Bahrain remains a vital geographic gateway for the airline's long-term network development. In addition to passenger flights, the group intends to develop maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities in the country through Asia Digital Engineering (ADE) to support regional carriers and create local technical expertise.