Category Archives: Aviation

In a drive to improve passenger experience and deliver increased flexibility to its airlines, Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) will this year introduce SITA’s self-service check-in kiosks across Bahrain International Airport. SITA will install and manage six new AirportConnect® S4 Kiosks at the airport, with four kiosks to be introduced in the economy check-in area and two in the first and business class check-in area. The new S4 kiosks provide a vastly improved passenger experience with large 19-inch multi-touch screens. Along with the new kiosks, SITA will provide its AirportHub™ shared connectivity platform, enabling airlines to migrate their back offices from legacy or direct connections systems to a cloud-based communication link. Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah, Chief Executive Officer of BAC commented: “This project is the first step towards the company’s vision of implementing IATA Fast Travel Initiative which will significantly enhance the passenger experience at Bahrain International Airport. This initiative will offer benefits of self-service check-in to passengers to facilitate the passenger journey.”

The iconic Batmobile travelled from Europe to Asia by crossing the Bosphorus Strait via the new Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge which officially opens to the public this summer. This marked the longest-ever ride for the one-of-a-kind vehicle.  According to M. Ilker Aycı, Turkish Airlines’ Board Chairman, “The ride across the newest Bosphorus bridge is symbolic of how the Batmobile unites people worldwide as a pop culture icon, how Istanbul is the one and only city connecting two continents, and how Turkish Airlines bridges passengers globally to 113 countries and more than 287 destinations. This is an opportunity for us to introduce our precious city, Istanbul and our newest bridge to the world. The Batmobile is one of the most symbolic movie icons of all time, and has now connected the world with Istanbul.”

The inaugural flight to Birmingham from Doha left last week making it 73 flights per week between Doha and United Kingdom. Currently, Qatar Airways serves London Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh non-stop from Doha. This gateway, with direct flights between Doha and Birmingham, connects the city with more than 150 destinations worldwide. The addition of Birmingham marks the fourth U.K. gateway for Qatar Airways after London Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh, with the eight weekly services operated by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The inaugural flight touched down on 30 March and was greeted by a traditional water salute, while Qatar Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer Dr. Hugh Dunleavy, who travelled on board the inaugural flight with UK Ambassador to Qatar, His Excellency Ajay Sharma, were greeted at the arrival gate by Birmingham Airport’s Chief Executive Officer, Paul Kehoe. Qatar Airways now operates 73 flights per week to the U.K., with 42 flights per week to London Heathrow, 16 to Manchester, seven to Edinburgh and eight to Birmingham, from its state-of-the-art hub, Hamad International Airport.