National carrier Gulf Air launches services to Hyderabad

The first flight, with nearly full passenger load, touched down Hyderabad's newly opened Rajiv Gandhi International airport today morning to the rousing welcome by water cannons.

"It is indeed a proud moment for us at Gulf Air as we connect Hyderabad, the City of Pearls with Bahrain, the Pearl of the Gulf known for its centuries-old pearl-diving tradition," said Gulf Air Chief Operating Officer Captain Christopher Cain, who was on the inaugural flight, while addressing a press conference later in the day.

"The launching of services to Hyderabad is a very good example of the successful and long-established bilateral relationship between Bahrain and India and, Gulf Air, as the national carrier of the Kingdom, is proud to be a part of this growing relationship."

Highlighting the largest network of over 500 flights per week operated by Gulf Air, Capt. Cain observed, "Travelers from the Indian subcontinent, whether for business, work or leisure, can take advantage of Gulf Air's seamless connectivity to any of the Middle East destinations with shortest possible waiting time," he concluded.

Gulf Air operates daily flights between Hyderabad and Bahrain. The flight from Bahrain to Hyderabad leaves at 0005 hours daily and the flight from Hyderabad to Bahrain leaves at 7.20 am daily.

Gulf Air now flies to eight Indian cities - Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Trivandrum- operating around 275 flights per month offering as much as 50,000 seats. The airline is hoping to add two more destinations within a year.