Manama: Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier, has launched its direct services to the Russian capital Moscow in a historic development for the company.
The new route is one of the outcomes of the visit of King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa to Russia this month and an earlier visit by Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
“I am delighted Gulf Air is directly connecting Moscow and Bahrain as an outcome of HM King Hamad’s successful visit to Russia and the previous visit by HRH Crown Prince Salman,” Maher Salman Al Musallam, the airline Acting Chief Executive Officer, said. “During the visit, an agreement of mutual Air Transport was signed, paving the way for direct flights between Manama and Moscow. His Majesty’s visit marked the beginning of new strategic business, investment and tourism cooperation prospects between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Russian Federation. We hope our passengers will experience and enjoy Russia’s historic capital city.”
Two government ministers, Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammad Al Khalifa, the Minister of Culture, and Sameera Bint Ebrahim Bin Rajab, the Minister of State for Information Affairs and the Official Spokesperson for the Government, Al Musallam and Victor Smirnov, Russia’s Ambassador to Bahrain, were among the first passengers to fly from Bahrain to Russia.
“We are looking forward to an extensive use of the new route by various segments to reinforce bilateral ties and cooperation,” Al Musallam told the media. “There are now ample opportunities to be seized from all sides and we are optimistic about the future.”
Ambassador Smirnov said that he was looking forward to closer ties between the two countries through the launch of the direct route between the two capitals.
Gulf Air said that it would operate four flights a week to Moscow that will be operated by an Airbus A320-ER aircraft with 110-seat capacity in a two-class configuration of 14 Falcon Gold flatbed seats and 96 Economy class seats.
