Story ID: 341
Improvements To Help Grow Fifth Bahrain Show
By: Peter Shaw-Smith
Caption: New infrastructure in Bahrain helps organizers Farnborough International grow the biennial BIAS event, taking place in November 2020.
Word Count: 417
Improvements to the arrangements for the main exhibition hall at the Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS, Chalet 188) 2020 are expected to lead to increased visitor numbers as, once again, Farnborough International, organizer of the Farnborough Airshow, coordinates the event.

“The 2020 Bahrain International Airshow represents a decade of success with continued presence from 11 of the world’s top 15 aerospace companies providing a strong endorsement of the value it delivers,” Mary Kearney, head of communications at Farnborough International, told AIN. “For 2020, the show’s main exhibition hall is being reconfigured to increase [movement] through the stands, guaranteeing greater exposure for exhibitors.

“This show continues to provide a five-star environment in which to conduct business. There will be unrivaled civil and military delegations programs, networking opportunities, and conferences. The space industry will see increased focus, and Bahrain continues to host the most dynamic flying display on the circuit.”

The new passenger terminal at Bahrain International Airport (BIA) is opening at the end of this year. It will support Bahrain as a strategic location for businesses to establish themselves and access the greater Gulf. “The new terminal represents a significant infrastructure investment and a major increase in footprint, providing capacity for 14 million passengers annually,” she said.

“This, combined with Gulf Air’s plan to offer new destinations and increased frequency to existing destinations, means that growing demand can be comfortably met. Aviation companies across the supply chain will be able to leverage this, with the Bahrain International Airshow providing the ideal platform to demonstrate products and services.”

Bahrain’s strategic location and transport links to Saudi Arabia makes it the gateway to the region’s largest economy. Linked to Saudi Arabia via the King Fahd Causeway, Bahrain is a 30-minute drive from the kingdom, and this is set to be enhanced by the new King Hamad Causeway’s land and rail links.

Progress on the plans to open a general aviation terminal, by converting and upgrading the original airport terminal building at BIA, continues. “Creating world-class VIP facilities is a priority, and Bahrain’s original airport building is set to be converted into a general aviation terminal,” she said, without specifying a timeframe.

BIAS is organized by Bahrain's Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, the Royal Bahraini Air Force, and Farnborough International. The airshow takes place November 18-20, 2020, at the Sakhir Air Base in the center of the island, adjacent to Bahrain’s Formula One motor racing circuit.