Middle Eastern carrier Bahrain Air is expecting to expand its fleet rapidly to nine Airbus aircraft within the next five months.

It has just taken delivery of its fifth aircraft, an A320 registered A9C-BAV, and is planning to introduce a sixth on 29 May.

Bahrain Air managing director Ibrahim Al-Hamer says the seventh and eight aircraft will arrive by the end of next month, and another delivery is due in October.

Bahrain-Air 
 © AirTeamImages

"The delivery of this number of aircraft at this timereflects the ambition of Bahrain Air's expansion," says the airline.

It is to increase its network to include Istanbul and Mumbai by July, and expand from October to Sana'a, Addis Ababa, Karachi, Lahore and Riyadh.

Bahrain Air is also entering a joint venture with Bahraini firm Addax which will operate its cargo division from 1 June.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news