AirAsia plans major Middle East hub

Parent firm signs Letter of Intent with Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation

- BY DHANUSHA GOKULAN

AirAsia is exploring establishing Bahrain as its Middle East aviation hub in a major expansion that could see the budget carrier operate more than 25 daily flights through the kingdom by 2030.

Capital A Berhad, AirAsia’s parent company, signed a Letter of Intent with Bahrain's Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications on Sunday to develop what CEO Tony Fernandes called “a game-changer” partnership.

“With our aviation restructuring soon to be complete, both Capital A and AirAsia are stepping into another bold and disruptive chapter of global growth, and Bahrain will be a powerful launchpad for us in the Middle East,” Fernandes said.