Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, has added seven weekly flights to its schedule to and from Dammam, raising the number of flights per week to 30 with a minimum of four flights per day.

The 30 per cent capacity increase offering passengers access to an additional 1,904 seats will meet the increasing market demand predicted during the busy summer months, the airline said.

Chief executive Samer Majali said the extra flights would offer business travellers and visitors between the Eastern Province and Bahrain more flexible and convenient flight options, with the new schedule connecting passengers to Manila, Dhaka, Dubai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kathmandu, Kochi, Addis Ababa, London and Colombo in under two hours.

'Dammam is considered Gulf Air's second hub and the introduction of additional flights cater to the summer demand, and emphasises the importance we attach to this key market,' Majali said.

'It also highlights our business strategy to concentrate on high-demand routes to ensure our core customer base is served effectively and efficiently.'

He said the airline has been flying to Saudi Arabia since 1950, and operating to Dammam since 1999, and the departure and arrival schedule of the additional flights had been timed to benefit international and regional travellers whether on business or pilgrimage. – TradeArabia News Service