01 November 2019

The new passenger terminal at Bahrain International Airport has achieved a major milestone, with the successful completion of the preliminary Operational Readiness and Transition (ORAT) testing phase last month.

The trial run of the complex’s facilities, services and processes was held to help Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) and its partners identify any areas of improvement before the terminal is officially opened.

The first test focused on advanced electronic baggage handling systems. It will ensure speedy luggage transportation from check-in counters to the aircraft through eight belts which are 7 km long. It also focused on testing luggage security, data entry and finalising of passenger procedures at the departure area, which contains 104 offices to record travel data in economy and business class.

Transportation and Telecommunications Minister Kamal Ahmed hailed the success of preliminary ORAT testing phase which is crucial to assess operational readiness of the new passenger terminal.

The new terminal will now open in the first quarter of 2020, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, revealed during the recent 2019 Government Forum.

“The $1.1-billion airport modernisation programme is one of the biggest development projects in the history of Bahrain,” he said.

The transformation of the newly constructed building into a fully-operational and integrated airport involves a multifaceted process that requires careful multi-party coordination, Ahmed said.

Bahrain Airport Company has now invited citizens and expatriates to take part in the live operational trials at the airport and give their feedback and impressions about services and facilities to test its efficiency and tackle any potential defects or shortcomings.

The new 207,000-sq-m terminal building will include a 4,600-sq-m departure hall, 104 check-in counters, 36 passport control booths and 24 security screening points. It is will be able to accommodate 14 million passengers a year. 

Meanwhile, BAC has renumbered the aircraft parking stands at the Bahrain International Airport, to enhance consistency and align the existing stands with the development of the new passenger terminal building.

The increased number of parking stands will also enable BIA to accommodate the expected surge in air traffic once the new terminal opens.

The operation will see BIA’s current numbering system replaced with a more modern alphanumeric one that helps pilots to differentiate between the Cargo, Middle and Eastern aprons, it added.  

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