An agreement to transform Bahrain's Civil Aviation Affairs (CAA) building into a private aviation terminal to cater to VIPs and business leaders was signed at the Bahrain International Airshow.

 

Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) signed the deal with Gulf Engineering House for the redesign and renovation of the 4,000-sq-m CAA building, which once served as the kingdom’s main airport, said a Bahrain News Agency report.

 

The new state-of-the-art facility is expected to be completed by 2020 and will offer various services to meet the needs of private jet owners and users travelling through Bahrain International Airport (BIA), said the report.

 

The agreement was signed by BAC chief executive officer Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah and Gulf Engineering House general manager Nawal Abdulkarim, in the presence of Transportation and Telecommunications Minister and Gulf Air Group Holding chairman Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed and officials from both companies.

 

The signing ceremony took place on the first day of the Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS) 2018, which is being held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the supervision of Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Personal Representative of His Majesty the King and chairman of the BIAS Supreme Organising Committee. BIAS 2018 runs until November 16 at the Sakhir Air Base.

 

The minister said: "The Civil Aviation Affairs Building is an important landmark in Bahrain’s rich aviation history. During the renovation, our goal is to ensure it retains its traditional character while transforming it into a private aviation terminal that adheres to the latest international standards and elevates the kingdom’s aviation sector in line with Bahrain’s Vision 2030. The project is part of the ministry’s plan to offer services to private jet owners through BIA, especially in light of the sector’s impressive growth rate in the Middle East. It is also part of a comprehensive strategy to enhance the infrastructure of BIA and one of the main components of the Airport Modernisation Programme, which is expected to be finished by Q3 2019."