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Bahrain International Airport will be more than simply a hub for flying off to far away places or a jaunt to neighbouring Gulf states ... it will become an away-day destination in its own right.
The designers of the proposed multi-million dinar expansion plans believe that people living in the kingdom will flock to the facilities available which will include spas, restaurants, hotels, retail shops, conference centres and recreational facilities.
Dr Osama Al Ali, chief executive officer of the Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) spoke of his vision to GulfWeekly during the kingdom's first international air show. He said: "Airports are no longer a station per se.
"A typical modern airport city provides amenities not only for passengers but also for the locality. This is also linked to the new trend and pattern of designing airports and is designed for generating revenues.
"For example, Singapore airport's Terminal Three has become a destination for people to go out dining and those looking for entertainment - it is not necessarily only for travellers. So, we are looking at it from that angle.
"And, this is a key element in our new design. This is one way of diversifying our revenue streams and providing value added services. So, it is not just the passengers who will be using the airport but also the local population.
"Also, to attract passengers to an airport we need to provide amenities for their convenience. When passengers have the right amenities they do not mind staying for a longer period of time," added Dr Ali.
BAC estimates the current traffic of nine million per annum will increase three-fold by 2038 when the new world-class facility capable of competing with, and exceeding, other airports in the region is completed.
Major improvements, however, should be clear to see within five years, management says.
Currently, the Bahrain International Airport is exceeding the international standards for available space per one million passengers. There are only seven air bridges available for aircraft to land and only 25 stands for passengers to board. Planes can take up to 40 minutes to find a parking slot during peak hours in the holiday season, for example.
Expansion will ultimately create 110 stands, including 87 with contact gates. The first phase of the expansion includes the construction of a second terminal that will have a capacity to handle five million passengers.
A new VIP terminal and an airport centre that includes shops, entertainment facilities and car parking for 3,000 cars, new airport shelters and a maintenance centre for small aircraft have also been planned.
Dr Ali said: "We hope 2015 will be a big year. It will be the year when the core terminal will be ready. The following years will be spent on expansion to cope with the growth.
"Currently the problem is that major congestion occurs during peak hours and this is being addressed."
BAC is also working on enhancing its cargo facilities at the airport and has plans to introduce an additional cargo operator in the coming two years.
