AirAsia names Bahrain board and targets hub launch by March 2027

AirAsia Group has appointed a seven-person board for its planned Bahrain hub and says it is targeting the start of flights to Bahrain by March 2027, as conditions allow. According to AeroTime, the announcement was made on 1 November 2026 and follows a delay caused by conflict and airspace restrictions in the Middle East and Gulf regions.

The new Bahrain board

AeroTime reports that the board will be chaired by Serra Kirdar, with Dato’ Fam Lee Ee as vice chairman. The other members are Faisal Khalid Kanoo, Nawaf Al Zayani, Akram Safa, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon and Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim. All are non-executive directors.

AirAsia described the appointment as “another milestone in establishing Bahrain as the Group’s strategic hub linking Asia with the Middle East, Europe and Australia”. Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A and Advisor to AirAsia Group, said the commitment to Bahrain had not changed despite the need to adjust initial plans.

Why the plan was delayed

AirAsia first unveiled Bahrain as its first hub outside Asia in February 2026. According to AeroTime, the original plan included flights between Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL), Bahrain International Airport (BAH) and London Gatwick (LGW) from June 2026. Conflict and airspace restrictions in the region disrupted those operating plans.

The group now says it is targeting March 2027 for flight operations to Bahrain, and that it continues to monitor developments in the region closely. The wording leaves the date conditional rather than fixed. AeroTime also links the plan to an earlier announcement by AirAsia X of a Bahrain hub and a new London route, although the source gives no further detail on how the two airlines’ roles divide.

Engineering and cargo plans

AirAsia also intends to develop maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capability in Bahrain through Asia Digital Engineering (ADE). Fernandes said ADE would serve other carriers in the region as well as AirAsia, creating engineering jobs and building technical expertise.

On the cargo side, AeroTime reports that the group’s logistics arm, Teleport, has operated twice-weekly freighter services into Bahrain since February 2026 and is now scaling up capacity with larger freighter aircraft.

What this means for travellers

• No confirmed start date: March 2027 is a target, subject to conditions in the region, not a confirmed launch.
• No schedule yet: the sources do not say whether the Kuala Lumpur–Bahrain–London Gatwick plan will return as first described, nor give routes, fares or frequencies for passenger flights.
• Booking caution: passengers should not plan trips around the Bahrain hub until AirAsia opens flights for sale.

If the hub does launch, it is intended to link South-East Asia with the Middle East, Europe and Australia, which could add new connecting options for travellers in the region.

Sources: AeroTime.