Pearl of China
Business and pleasure await travellers to Shanghai, Gulf Air’s newest destination
Gulf Air is introducing its first route to China next month, with a non-stop Shanghai service from Bahrain. The service will run four times a week from 16 June, with daily flights starting later this year as part of Gulf Air’s Winter 2008 schedule.
“China is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and for Gulf Air it is strategically important that we launch into this booming market this year,” said Gulf Air chief executive officer Björn Näf. “We are looking at other international destinations to expand our network as part of our strategy to become the airline of choice.”
Gulf Air’s vice president network Hashim Mahmood said the Bahrain-Shanghai route and the planned schedule to the destination will be “the most attractive in the region”.
“The two-way traffic between the region and China is growing tremendously and our revamped network offers better connection times, which will be an added advantage for Gulf Air customers,” he said.
Cosmopolitan Shanghai was once the trading centre of the Far East and remains one of the world’s busiest ports. The local government aims to make Shanghai a world economic, financial, trading and shipping centre by 2020. Tourism is also booming, with the popular Bund area of the city offering superb restaurants, vibrant nightlife and fashion, with its 1920s architecture a fascinating contrast with the new skyscrapers of the city’s financial hub across the river.
The Gulf Air route will operate using an Airbus A340-300, with first, business and economy-class service.
Red letter day
The 2008 Formula One season came to the desert of Sakhir last month and produced a dramatic spectacle. Three races into the new season and Ferrari showed their dominance, winning the constructor’s trophy, presented by Björn Näf, chief executive officer of Gulf Air.
The fifth Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix will be noted for the emergence of the BMW Sauber team, whose Polish driver, Robert Kubica, snatched pole position away from last year’s winner, Felipe Massa. The Brazilian immediately took over the race lead, which he held until the finish flag, 57 laps later.
Formula One next travels to: Istanbul (11 May) and Monte Carlo (25 May), before crossing the Atlantic to Canada (8 June).
Red hot party
On 5 April, Gulf Air, the title sponsor of the region’s biggest motorsport event, threw a party with a performance by Simply Red. “The race is in its fifth year and to commemorate Bahrain’s successful running of the event,” said Gulf Air chief executive officer Björn Näf, “we chose a group that has fans across the globe.”
“Red features on Bahrain’s national flag, so it works with our theme to promote the Kingdom and its national carrier,” said Näf (left, with Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall, centre). |
