Regional budget carriers are set to flourish despite turbulence faced by the airline industry, said Ibrahim Al Hamer, managing director of Bahrain Air, a private, low-cost national carrier in Bahrain.

Al Hamer was speaking at the second Middle East Aviation Outlook Summit in Abu Dhabi. "Despite economic turbulence, budget carriers in the region seem prepared to soldier on," he said.

'The aviation industry in the world is facing significant challenges, in light of the economic crisis around the world, and this conference is an ideal platform to discuss and examine how to create appropriate and effective solutions to restore the situation. What distinguishes this conference is the existence and the participation of major airlines in the world,' he said.

Aviation Outlook Middle East is firmly established as the top strategic aviation forum in the region, where the key decision-makers from airlines and airports across the Middle East and North Africa outline their strategic vision for the forthcoming years.

The participation of Bahrain Air in the conference came within the company's efforts to explore various opportunities in creating new networks in Mena and neighbouring countries, in addition to exchanging experiences and knowledge with other regional and international airlines.

Al Hamer highlighted that budget carriers in the Middle East witnessed quick growth during the last few years. He expects that budget carriers will achieve excellent development within the coming period because of the current global economic crisis.

Bahrain Air plans to increase its fleet of leased A320s and A319s to 10 by 2012, it was revealed yesterday.

Bahrain Air also plans to increase flights to 17 destinations in the coming months. It is now flying from Bahrain to 14 destinations.

This month itself, Bahrain Air will launch direct flights to Abu Dhabi, Kozhikode in India and Kathmandu in Nepal, making the total destinations this year to 24.

Al Hamer said budget airlines witnessed a huge demand recently owing to significant economic developments in the region and increase in number of passengers.

He said adverse economic conditions will not stop Bahrain Air from becoming one of the region's leading carriers. He said budget carriers will benefit from frugal passengers seeking more 'attractive and affordable flights' across the Middle East.

He was confident that once the expansion strategy is complete, the airline's passenger loads, which have increased from 20 per cent to 60 per cent since Bahrain Air's inception last year, will continue to rise and that budget carriers will witness increased growth because of the current world economy crisis and liquidity crunch.

Therefore, a large number of passengers are expected to turn to affordable airlines, Al Hamer said.-TradeArabia News Service