Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will officially activate the first phase of a long-planned one-stop air travel system today (February 17), launching  a significant step towards seamless mobility within the GCC.

Chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the weekly meeting of Bahrain's Cabinet welcomed the launch of the streamlined system, which eliminates the need for repeated passport checks and inspection procedures upon arrival.

The initiative implements a decision adopted by GCC Interior Ministers at their 42nd meeting in Kuwait to operationalise a unified one-stop air travel framework among GCC member states. The system is designed to strengthen regional integration, enhance passenger convenience and reduce congestion at airports.

Bahrain and the UAE are the two nations selected to trial the first phase of the project, which aims to improve connectivity and cut down on airport waiting times.

Under the first phase, the system applies to GCC citizens travelling on flights operated by Gulf Air and Etihad Airways between Bahrain International Airport and Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi.

If successful, the system would be expanded to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar, making cross-Gulf travel almost as simple as domestic flights.

Reports said under the project, travellers would only need to complete immigration and security checks at the airport their flight originates from, and would not be required to carry out the same procedures on arrival at their final destination.