MANAMA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The modernized Bahrain International Airport (BIA) aims to strengthen the Gulf country's aviation sector and boost its economic growth, the airport's CEO told Xinhua in a recent interview.
"The BIA is the most modern boutique airport in the region," touted Mohammed Yousif Al Binfalah, the CEO of Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), the operator of the airport.
Established in 2008, the semi-governmental BAC is responsible for developing the BIA and enhancing its capacity and infrastructure to accommodate future growth.
The new state-of-the-art new passenger terminal at the BIA, which began operation on Jan. 28 last year, is one of the mega projects under the Airport Modernization Programme (AMP) with an investment of 1.1 billion U.S. dollars, the largest sum in Bahrain's aviation sector for more than 20 years.
"Designed with projected passenger demands and aviation trends in mind, the AMP includes various strategic projects that enhance BIA's infrastructure, facilities, and services," said Al Binfalah.
The AMP, which aims to increase the airport's capacity to handle 14 million passengers per year, will underpin Bahrain's position as a regional center for logistics services, support its long-term tourism goals, and boost growth in all economic sectors.
The ultimate goal, Al Binfalah said, is to sustain the growth of Bahrain's aviation sector to help drive investment and stimulate national economic growth in line with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030 of a more diversified economy.
One of the main objectives of Bahrain's Economic Recovery Plan is to accelerate the adoption of a strategy for logistics, he noted.
"The upcoming Express Cargo Village will increase BIA's cargo capacity in line with the highest standards and will apply advanced technologies to improve efficiency and meet growth targets for air freight and e-commerce," he said.
The advanced technology and convenience-oriented approach adopted by the BIA put it on the global aviation map alongside the world's leading smart airports which offer efficiency and security while meeting passengers' expectations for a more seamless airport experience, Al Binfalah boasted.
Another highlighted area is the recruitment of Bahraini professionals in the aviation sector with many team members trained abroad to work in different sectors, he said.
"Having nationals in key operational roles demonstrates Bahrain's advancements in aviation and the efficacy of the Tahleeq Programme, a training and development initiative that equips participants with the skills needed by the AMP," the airport official said.
The ambitious capacity-building programme, which has been supported by The Labor Fund or Tamkeen since 2014, aims to create a home-grown force of young Bahraini talents to join the Kingdom's booming aviation sector, he added.
The new terminal at the BIA is four times larger than the old airport terminal, but it uses 25 percent less energy than conventional buildings, explained Al Binfalah.
Last month, the BIA was named as the World's Best New Airport at the Skytrax 2022 World Airport Awards held at the Passenger Terminal EXPO in Paris, France. The awards are regarded as a quality benchmark for the world airport industry.
In May, the BIA was also comfirmed by the Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific as one of only 12 airports in the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East to receive the Green Airports Recognition 2022 award, for its efforts to minimize its impact on the environment. ■
