Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, known for its pioneering initiatives, has launched a unique specialist aviation workshop for journalists.

The initiative the first of its kind in the region will take place on 25 and 26 May in Bahrain,  and will be conducted in conjunction with the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO).

Designed exclusively for journalists, the workshop is aimed at providing an insight into an airline’s operations and an overview of the aviation industry.

Ten journalists, drawn from various local publications and a representative from the Bahrain Journalists Association will be participating in this first workshop; more workshops have been planned for journalists from regional publications in the coming months.  

Gulf Air Chief Executive Officer, Samer Majali commented, “Gulf Air is known for pioneering several initiatives in the past and we are continuing the tradition by launching this workshop custom-made for journalists.”

“The public look to the media to provide accurate information with an unbiased perspective in their reports, whether they are pertaining to air travel or any other consumer issues. The workshop is aimed at providing journalists an in-depth view of an airline’s operations, the roles and responsibilities of various service providers and third party business partners involved in a passenger’s experience so that they can report with an informed and balanced viewpoint.”

“The aviation industry is one of the few complex businesses that involve several agencies; from travel companies to airport services, baggage handlers, catering companies, to operations and maintenance organizations, all of them work together with the airline to ensure passengers experience a smooth and hassle-free travel. I am sure it will be a refreshing, if not an enriching, experience for the journalists.”

Gulf Air Director of Corporate Communications and Affairs, Mr. Mohammed Hulaiwah commenting on the reason for the launch of the program said, “We are committed to engaging in a two-way communication with all our stakeholders and the media is a key facilitator in this process. By actively engaging media professionals and providing an opportunity for them to look at the internal processes and challenges involved in daily airline operations, we hope to give the journalists and their audience – our passengers - a better understanding of our business.” 

Mr. Tariq Al Amer, the Secretary to the Board of the Bahrain Journalists Association commented, “We are delighted that Gulf Air has kept its promise to hold a specialist aviation training for journalists, something that Mr. Majali committed to in a meeting with our association members a few months ago. This course will be the first of its kind offered to journalists and I hope it paves the way for other sectors to follow suit.” 

During the workshop, the participants will learn about freedoms of the air, passengers’ rights in the event of flight delays, cancellations, lost luggage, the roles of regulatory bodies such as IATA, ICAO and the Chicago Convention, the certifications and licenses that an airline has to comply with such as IOSA and CAMO and other aviation-related information.

A seasoned trainer from AACO will be running the workshop in which senior management from Gulf Air’s key functional divisions will also be interacting with the participants. The workshop also includes a visit to Gulf Air’s Integrated Operations Centre to give a first-hand knowledge of the airline’s operations.