Bahrain International Airport prepares for biggest full-scale emergency exercise to date

Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), the operator and managing body of Bahrain International Airport (BIA), discussed preparations with its partners for the largest full-scale emergency exercise at the airport to date. This marks the first time this biannual event, held this year in March, will take place following the launch of operations from the new passenger terminal. More than 70 emergency personnel will take part in the exercise, which tests the Airport Emergency Plan, assessing the capabilities, readiness, coordination, communications, and effectiveness of BIA’s emergency and rescue services.

BAC Chief Airport Operation Ali Rashed said: “This crucial exercise will put our emergency plans to the test, revealing its ability to cope with the most stressful and potentially dangerous crisis scenarios. The findings will be used further to improve the effectiveness of BIA’s Aerodrome Emergency Plan, in line with Bahrain Civil Aviation Affairs’ regulations and global aviation standards. Given the size of the new terminal compared to its predecessor, this year’s exercise will be the largest in scale to date, requiring careful coordination among key airport stakeholders. All necessary measures are being taken to ensure that BIA’s operations, including aircraft and passenger movement, will not be affected during the routine exercise.”

The meeting included a presentation on the objectives, scope, and timeline of the exercise and provided a platform for attendees to ask questions and give their feedback. In attendance were representatives from BAC, Bahrain Civil Aviation Affairs, Bahrain Airport Services (BAS), Gulf Air, Bahrain Airport Jet Fuel Company, the National Guard, Salmaniya Medical Complex, King Hamad University Hospital, Bahrain Defense Force (BDF), BDF Hospital, the Ministry of Interior, DHL, Air Traffic Control, and the National Intelligence Agency.

BAC hosts the drill every two years in accordance with regulations issued by Bahrain Civil Aviation Affairs and global industry procedures enforced by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).