Bahrain’s Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry has signed an agreement with Gulf Air appointing it the official carrier for the Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS 2016).

The fourth edition of the BIAS, to be held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad and under the supervision of His Majesty's personal representative and head of the Supreme Organising Committee of BIAS Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, will be hosted at Sakhir Air Base from January 21 to 23 next year.

The show is organised by the ministry and the Royal Bahraini Air Force, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

"Gulf Air's continuous support - which we have had since BIAS was launched in 2010 - has been one of the success drivers for the show, enabling us to host an event that showcases the kingdom as a centre for service excellence and unique business opportunities in the global aerospace industry," Civil Aviation Affairs acting under-secretary Ahmed Al Nemah said.

"With this support, we can continue to highlight investment opportunities Bahrain presents for the civil and military aviation sectors," he said.

New features have been added to the show in line with key strategic areas of growth and development with an aim to further promote the aviation industry and highlight BIAS's role as a networking event that establishes a unique platform for doing business, he said.

The fourth edition of the show will include an exhibition focused on unmanned aerial vehicles and airport infrastructure, he said.

"As Bahrain's national carrier it is integral that Gulf Air takes part in this event which has established itself as a focal event for the international and regional aviation community and which enables stakeholders within the industry to showcase and promote their latest state-of-the-art offerings under one roof. We are truly delighted to continue our longstanding support and we are confident that the 2016 edition will further contribute to the kingdom's successes," Gulf Air acting chief executive Maher Al Musallam said. The show has evoked strong interest from international civil aviation and defence companies including BAE Systems, Boeing, DHL, Qatar Airways, Gulfstream and Airbus. - TradeArabia News Service