AirAsia has appointed the board of directors for its Bahrain operation, setting out a governance structure for its plan to establish the Kingdom as a hub connecting Asia with the Middle East, Europe and Australia. The group is targeting the start of flights by March 2027, although the timetable remains subject to regional conditions.
The board will be chaired by Dr Serra Kirdar, with Dato’ Fam Lee Ee as vice-chairman. Dr Faisal Khalid Kanoo, Nawaf Al Zayani, Akram Safa, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon and Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim have also been appointed as non-executive directors.
The appointment builds on a Letter of Intent signed in November 2025 between Capital A and Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications. AirAsia announced in February 2026 that Bahrain would be its Middle East hub. The group has since maintained that its plans extend beyond operating passenger services from the Kingdom.
“Bahrain is strategically important to us as the gateway connecting Asean with the Middle East, Europe and beyond. While the geopolitical situation in the region has required us to adjust our initial plans, our commitment to Bahrain has not changed.”
Tony Fernandes, chief executive officer of Capital A and adviser to AirAsia Group, said the board appointment reinforced the group’s long-term commitment to Bahrain. He said the regional situation had led AirAsia to adjust its initial plans, while retaining the intended March 2027 target for flight operations.
Planned operating structure
The proposed Bahrain development includes activities intended to support the wider aviation ecosystem as well as the airline operation. Capital A’s engineering business, Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), intends to develop maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities in the Kingdom. The facilities are expected to serve AirAsia and other regional carriers, with the company linking the project to engineering employment and the development of local technical expertise.
Capital A’s logistics arm, Teleport, is also part of the group’s Bahrain plans. The business has maintained twice-weekly operations in the Kingdom, according to the announcement, while the wider group intends to expand cargo capacity there. No passenger route, launch date beyond the March 2027 target, aircraft type or operating frequency was specified in the announcement.
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | AirAsia and Capital A |
| Location | Bahrain |
| Planned flight start | By March 2027, subject to regional conditions |
| Board chair | Dr Serra Kirdar |
| Vice-chairman | Dato’ Fam Lee Ee |
The Bahrain project follows the Kingdom’s award of a Golden Licence to support AirAsia’s expansion plans. The airline group has described Bahrain as a gateway for Asean traffic to the Middle East, Europe and destinations beyond those markets. The board’s formation is an organisational step towards that wider hub strategy; it does not represent the launch of passenger flights.
- AirAsia is targeting flights from Bahrain by March 2027, subject to regional conditions.
- Asia Digital Engineering intends to develop MRO capabilities in the Kingdom.
- Teleport is included in plans to expand the group’s cargo capacity in Bahrain.
