beOnd explores Bahrain AOC as part of wider Gulf expansion

Premium leisure airline beOnd has taken a significant step in its Gulf expansion strategy, signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Bahrain’s Civil Aviation Affairs to explore establishing a Bahrain‑based Air Operator Certificate (AOC). The proposed operation would see up to 10 aircraft based in the Kingdom by 2030, targeting high‑yield leisure and business traffic and positioning Bahrain as a key node between Europe, the Middle East, Asia and, in the longer term, North America.

Under the LOI, beOnd and Bahrain’s authorities will work together on the feasibility of a locally based airline entity, including regulatory approvals, infrastructure, training and long‑term network development. If fully realised, the project is expected to create more than 1,200 direct high‑skilled jobs covering pilots, cabin crew, engineers and ground staff and support an estimated 6,000 additional roles across tourism, hospitality, logistics and the wider supply chain. The airline projects a GDP contribution in the range of USD 1.2–1.5 billion over the first years of operation, reflecting the high‑value nature of the premium segment it targets.

For Bahrain, the initiative aligns closely with the Kingdom’s Economic Vision 2030, which emphasises diversification, private sector growth and the development of high value industries, including aviation and tourism.

beOnd, which launched operations from its Maldives base in 2023, has built its model around an all‑premium narrowbody fleet, currently including an Airbus A319 configured with 44 lie‑flat seats and an Airbus A321 with 68 lie‑flat seats. From Male’, the airline has progressively added routes to Munich, Zurich, Milan, Riyadh and Dubai, focusing on inbound premium tourism to the Maldives and positioning itself as a niche alternative to large network carriers.

The Bahrain project is part of a broader multi‑jurisdictional strategy. In late 2025, following a USD 100 million Series C funding round, beOnd announced plans for a new subsidiary in Saudi Arabia under its own AOC, further consolidating its presence in the Gulf. The airline has also begun operating nonstop services between Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Airport and Milan Malpensa, tapping into the Kingdom’s wider tourism and giga‑project agenda.

Saudi Arabia’s aviation and tourism push anchored in Vision 2030 and projects such as the Red Sea development has created a fertile environment for premium and leisure carriers seeking to connect Europe, the Middle East and Asia with new resort destinations and emerging hubs. beOnd’s Saudi plans, combined with the proposed Bahrain base, suggest a network architecture built around multiple Gulf and Indian Ocean gateways rather than a single dominant hub, with each jurisdiction playing to its strengths in tourism, connectivity and regulatory support.

In Bahrain, the airline’s presence is expected to go beyond pure network growth. beOnd has indicated its intention to invest in local training and technical capabilities, including pilot and cabin crew training, engineering support and ground operations. This focus on skills development and technology potentially including advanced digital tools and artificial intelligence in operations and customer experience supports Bahrain’s ambition to grow as a regional aerospace and aviation services centre, not just a transit point.

The timing of the LOI also dovetails with other developments in Bahrain’s aviation landscape. At the volume end of the market, long‑haul low‑cost carrier AirAsia X has signalled plans to use Bahrain as a transit point between London Gatwick and Kuala Lumpur, with the possibility of a future base in the Kingdom. Together, a premium boutique operator like beOnd and a long‑haul low‑cost player such as AirAsia X would give Bahrain a more diversified aviation portfolio, spanning both high‑yield and high‑volume segments.

For beOnd, a Bahrain AOC would provide additional flexibility in fleet and network deployment. The airline has previously outlined ambitions to grow to as many as 56 aircraft by 2030 across multiple regions, with a planned distribution that includes the Maldives, GCC states, the United States and India. A Bahrain‑based fleet of up to 10 aircraft would form a substantial part of its Gulf footprint, enabling nonstop and one‑stop links between Europe, the Middle East and key markets in Asia and North America, particularly for premium leisure travellers seeking seamless access to resort destinations and emerging tourism hubs.