We have a deluge of updates emerging from regional aviation players this morning as the Routes World forum in Bahrain wrapped yesterday. The forum — hosted by Bahrain International Airport — saw regional and international announcements including airport expansions, increased connectivity, and new partnerships.

#1- Oman Air set to launch its first new route in five years: Oman’s flagship carrier Oman Air is launching a new route to Rome, its first new route in five years, as part of a strategy to maximize the use of its narrowbody fleet and network, CEO Con Korfiatis told Aviation Week. The airline is set to partner with Oneworld alliance to boost its global connectivity and extend its network to broader European and Far Eastern markets, as well as add new destinations across Africa and the US. Oman Air is also expecting to expand its fleet, operating Boeing 787-9 aircraft for widebody services by next year and transitioning to a 737-9 fleet for narrowbody operations by mid-2026.

#2- Air Arabia is expecting new deliveries: The UAE’s budget carrier Air Arabia is expecting the delivery of 120 Airbus A320 aircraft in the second half of 2025, followed by A321XLRs in 2027, CEO Adel Ali told Aviation Week. Although the integration of XLRs will offer Air Arabia an 8.5-hour range that is sufficient to operate transatlantic flights, the carrier will instead extend its operations in the Middle East and further afield from Morocco, with the possibility of reaching South Africa. “We've been leasing quite a lot of airplanes from the market to grow the business,” Ali added.

#3- Riyadh Air making expansion moves: Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air is expecting to finalize its air operator certificate (AOC) by the end of the year, and has 39 Boeing 787-9s on order that will fly long-haul and operate through Riyadh to regional destinations, Aviation Week reports, citing comments made by CEO Tony Douglas at the forum. Riyadh Air also aims to add a narrowbody order to its fleet to begin narrowbody operations within a year of launching, and has started on an order campaign for larger widebodies. The carrier is also looking to serve 100 destinations within five years and is not seeking any global alliance, but is eyeing one more Western European partner and one partner from the Indian subcontinent. The airline’s initial network plans will be released in early 2025.

#4- Big expansion moves expected from Etihad: Etihad Airways is planning to reveal a significant network expansion in late November and early next year as it prepares to receive its first Airbus A321LR, according to Aviation Week. “The date to watch out for is November 25, when we will announce 11 new cities. And then, next year — around January or February — we're going to announce 20 more cities. So we have a lot of growth coming,” Etihad Airways Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer Arik De told delegates at the summit.

#5- King Salman Airport is aiming high: Riyadh’s King Salman International Airport is poised to be among the world’s biggest airports when it opens in 2030, covering 57 sq km and accommodating over 100 mn passengers, Aviation Week reports. The airport will integrate several modes of transport to boost regional connectivity. “The connectivity from passenger terminals to cargo areas is also being prioritized to reflect the importance of belly cargo in our operations and to improve the kingdom’s logistic performance index to be among the top 10 globally,” VP Investment & Partnership Mammen Tharakan said at the forum.

#6- Bahrain airport wants to boost its connectivity: Bahrain International Airport is looking to bolster its global connectivity, with plans to increase its reach to over 100 destinations within the next four to five years, according to Aviation Week. The airport is looking to strengthen partnerships with Gulf Air, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority, as well as other stakeholders to enhance air connectivity, improve passenger experience, and foster economic growth. “We are targeting major markets in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia, and we believe that our coordinated efforts will lead to much better performance in both air traffic movements and passenger traffic,” Bahrain Airport Company CEO Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah said at the forum. The airport will also bolster its cargo operations with the development of the Express Cargo Village — with a 12.5k sqm first phase that is already operational and has FedEx as a first tenant.

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