Manama: Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS) will see its strongest international presence to date, reflecting the event’s growing standing in the global aviation event calendar and cementing strategic relations between key nations, organisers said.
Taking place from January 21-23 at Sakhir Airbase, the show will see representation from the US, the UK, France, India, Russia and Turkey.
Furthermore, the high level aviation event will also see more participation from Mena (Middle East and North Africa) states, with the largest participation yet from Saudi Arabia.
Numerous Saudi companies, including Saudi Arabian Airlines, will be participating for the first time, alongside Kuwait Airways, Emirates and Qatar Airways. Global organisations include Airbus, Boeing, BAE Systems, Chevron, CFM, Finmeccanica, Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce, Turkish Aerospace Industries, TAG Aeronautics and Thales Group.
The exhibition feature hall at the show has also allowed a growing number of international SME (small and medium enterprises) businesses to attend the show with national pavilions from the India, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and the UK, the organisers said.
The popularity of the feature hall, introduced at the last edition of the show in 2014, has resulted in a size increase of almost 50 per cent for 2016.
“The Bahrain International Airshow is a real platform for trade and business,” said Kamal Bin Ahmad Mohammad, the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee for BIAS. “With so many countries represented, it allows businesses to bolster and build new partnerships. With the value we bring through our extensive delegations programme we offer all our participants the opportunity for extensive networking and discussion.”
Strong delegation programme
Amanda Stainer, Commercial Director for Farnborough International, hailed a positive response to the event. “All our chalets are now sold and just one space remaining in the exhibition hall. The Delegations programme is also very strong with 34 countries represented from 75 delegations. Aircraft participation now stands at over 100 aircraft, including the Russian Knights, two Eurofighter typhoons, a T129 ATAK helicopter for Turkish Aircraft Industries, and an F-22 from the USAF,” Stainer said.
Now in its fourth edition, BIAS provide its list of aerospace business participants the opportunity for high-level networking.
With just 40 chalet participants and dedicated exhibition space, the event allows participants the opportunity to meet the extensive civil and military delegations invited as guests of Shaikh Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the King’s Personal Representative and Head of BIAS Supreme Organising Committee.
