Bahrain Air has announced plans for a further expansion into India after its first flight there touched down at Cochin International Airport.

It is the first non-stop flight between Bahrain and Kerala, but managing director Ibrahim Al Hamer said a second Indian destination would be announced in October.

'Our second destination in India will be announced in October when we shall increase our frequency to Kochi from the current three flights a week to daily,' he added.

'Our future plans will make the 280,000 strong Indian community in Bahrain happy. The flight to Kochi is our first step into the lucrative market of India and it will further strengthen the aviation ties and people-to-people relationship between India and Bahrain.'

Bahrain Air's first flight to India received a royal welcome with a water cannon salute at Cochin International Airport.

The official delegation headed by Al Hamer was met by airport board member and Kerala's Fisheries Minister S Sharma, airport director ACK Nair and InterGlobe Air Transport president and chief executive Ashok Fenn and his team.

InterGlobe is Bahrain Air's general sales agents in India.

Kochi is Bahrain Air's eighth destination, which it plans to increase to 12 by the end of the year with Aleppo in Syria, Jeddah, Kuwait and Dhaka in Bangladesh joining the network, said Al Hamer.

Sharma said Bahrain Air was the 18th international airline to operate to Cochin International Airport, which handled 3.4 million passengers last year.

InterGlobe hosted a dinner reception in honour of the Bahrain Air delegation at Taj Residency Hotel.

The delegation also included the airline's corporate security manager Aziz Al Shaer, district sales manager Sayed Ahmed, corporate communications assistant manager Soha Al Borshaid and media representatives.

Prior to departure Civil Aviation Affairs acting Under-Secretary Ahmed Nemat Ali said India was one of the biggest markets from Bahrain with 600,000 passengers accounting for around 10 per cent of the total Bahrain airport traffic.

Thirty-eight airlines currently have scheduled services to Bahrain.-TradeArabia News Service