MANAMA: AirAsia has appointed a seven-member board for its Bahrain operations as it targets the commencement of flights by March 2027, subject to regional conditions.
The board will be chaired by Dr Serra Kirdar, with Datuk Fam Lee Ee as vice-chairman.
Other members are Dr Faisal Khalid Kanoo, Nawaf Al Zayani, Akram Safa, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon and Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim. All seven are non-executive directors.
AirAsia said in a statement that the appointments marked another step towards establishing Bahrain as a strategic hub connecting Asia with the Middle East, Europe and Australia.
The move follows a letter of intent signed between Capital A and Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications in November 2025, before AirAsia announced plans in February 2026 to position the kingdom as its Middle East hub.
Capital A chief executive officer and AirAsia Group adviser Tony Fernandes said Bahrain remained central to the group’s expansion strategy despite geopolitical developments affecting its initial plans.
“Bahrain is strategically important to us as the gateway connecting ASEAN with the Middle East, Europe and beyond. While the geopolitical situation in the region has required us to adjust our initial plans, our commitment to Bahrain has not changed,” he said.
He said AirAsia was closely monitoring regional developments and remained committed to launching flights by next year.
Beyond passenger services, Fernandes said Capital A planned to establish maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities in Bahrain through its engineering arm, Asia Digital Engineering (ADE).
The proposed facilities would serve AirAsia and other regional carriers while generating skilled employment, developing local expertise and strengthening Bahrain’s aviation industry.
On logistics, he said Capital A’s logistics arm, Teleport, had operated twice-weekly freighter services to Bahrain since February 2026 and was expanding cargo capacity with larger aircraft to support trade between Asia and the Gulf.
Fernandes also welcomed the Bahrain government’s continued support, including the award of a Golden License, which he described as a reflection of confidence in the group’s long-term plans.
Meanwhile, Kirdar said the venture would draw on AirAsia’s experience in making air travel more accessible while opening opportunities for Bahrain’s tourism, trade and aviation sectors.
“This venture holds tremendous opportunities, from strengthening tourism and trade links between the Gulf and Asia to creating jobs and developing talent for Bahrainis in a dynamic global industry,” she said.
She added that she looked forward to working with the Bahrain government and its partners to establish an airline that would contribute to the kingdom’s aviation ambitions.
