Bahrain International Airport (BIA) welcomed IAG Cargo, through its brand British Airways World Cargo, the new Boeing 747-8 Freighter (747-8F) jet airliner which touched ground in the region for the very first time. The 747-8F is the fourth-generation Boeing 747 version, with lengthened fuselage, redesigned wings and improved efficiency.
The Boeing 747-8 is the largest 747 commercial aircraft built in the United States. It comes in two main variants – the 747-8 Intercontinental (747-8I) for passengers and the 747-8 Freighter (747-8F) for cargo. It is the longest passenger aircraft in the world and the freighter is the biggest airplane to operate with a British Airways flight number.
“This is great news for our airport, adding to many other memorable occasions experienced at the region’s first airport. Cargo volumes are a lead indicator of business growth and having BA’s 747-8F landing in Bahrain on its weekly route is a great sign of confidence,” Gordon Dewar, Bahrain Airport Company CEO, said.
Bahrain International Airport (BIA) is a key hub airport in the MENA region, providing a gateway to the Northern Gulf. The airport is a major hub for both Gulf Air and Bahrain Air operating hundreds of flights weekly. Together they account for 56% of the total weekly operations and 1056 at the airport. 39 other international airlines including British Airways, Cathay Pacific, KLM, United and Lufthansa operate around 460 services per week to a total of 60 destinations.
BIA caters for nine cargo/airfreight carriers who represent 15% of total air traffic movement in Bahrain. In addition to being the fastest growing cargo hub in the region with a number of international carriers the Bahrain International Airport is also a Middle East Regional Distribution Centre. BIA is also a designated “super-hub” for DHL’s worldwide network whose services include significant operations to support the reconstruction of Afghanistan and Iraq. The airport is a major regional hub for distribution by air and surface including Trans causeway trucking services to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. This account for over 3 million tonnes of cargo crosses the causeway annually.
“IAG Cargo now has a full contingent of Boeing 747-8 Freighters, which have immediately been incorporated into our global schedule. The new aircraft provides increased capacity and reliability for customers as well as an expanded network of freighter routes. We are pleased to start the 747-8F Middle East stop offs in Bahrain International Airport. We have been operating services to Bahrain for the past five years to meet customer demand. It is an important market for cargo and we are committed to serving our growing client base in the region,” Jude Winstanley, Senior Vice President for IAG Cargo said.