Gulf Air Restores Full Bahrain Flight Network After 40 Days From Dammam

Gulf Air has restored its entire flight network from Bahrain after a crisis earlier this year forced the national carrier to run its international operations from Saudi Arabia for 40 days. Chief executive Martin Gauss told Gateway Gulf 2026 that the airline is now recording double-digit revenue growth against the year before the crisis.

Key facts

• Gulf Air flew internationally from Dammam, Saudi Arabia for 40 days earlier this year
• The airline returned to 100 percent of its network in about three months
• Passengers still checked in in Bahrain, then travelled by bus and car across the causeway to fly onward from Saudi Arabia
• Gulf Air holds around 70 percent of the market, according to Gauss
• The carrier reports double-digit revenue growth versus the year before the crisis

What happened to Gulf Air flights?

Speaking at a Gateway Gulf 2026 session on tourism, sports and aviation, Gauss said the crisis at the start of the year pushed Gulf Air to relocate its operations. For 40 days it operated as an international airline out of Dammam in Saudi Arabia — a move he described as a first in the world.

Travellers checked in as normal in Bahrain, were transported by bus and car across the causeway, and then departed from Saudi Arabia to destinations worldwide. The source does not identify the nature of the crisis or give exact dates.

Is the airline back to normal?

Rebuilding began about six weeks after the disruption started, and a further six weeks later Gulf Air was back at 100 percent of its network, Gauss said. He attributed the pace of recovery to the strength of the carrier and of Bahrain as a base.

Gauss said the airline operates around the clock, connecting passengers from Shanghai to New York, flying to Moscow daily and serving destinations worldwide. He also highlighted a significant cargo operation that helped supply the country during the crisis.

What this means for travellers

Gulf Air's flights are now operating from Bahrain across its full network again, rather than departing from Dammam. Passengers booked on the airline no longer need to expect the bus and car transfer across the causeway that was used during the 40-day period.

The airline described the disruption as resolved, and Gauss said it continues to bring tourists and business travellers directly into Bahrain and back out again.

Travellers should confirm current flight details directly with the airline when booking. No further announcements about schedule changes were made in the session.