Established in 1927, Bahrain International Airport is one of the oldest in the Arabian Gulf. At FILA, we had the pleasure of protecting the floors in this extremely high-traffic setting to ensure the longevity of the material throughout. The airport serves as the hub for the national carrier, Gulf Air and in January this year, the airport opened its $1.1 billion new passenger terminal. This boosts the airport's total capacity to 14 million passengers on an annual basis and at 207,000 square metres in size, is roughly quadruple the old terminal.
With 104 check-in counters and 24 gates, the new terminal is approximately 1km long. There are also many features that represent the Middle Eastern culture plus 2 airport lounges; The Pearl Lounge and Gulf Air's Falcon Gold Lounge. Once airside, there are many duty-free shops but you don’t have to walk past them to get to the gate. H.E. Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, minister of transportation and telecommunications says, “The new airport is a significant addition to the country’s infrastructure and will support Bahrain’s long-term economic and tourism goals, catalyzing growth in all economic sectors.”
Bahrain International Airport is a prime example of airport retail and proves it’s an industry more thriving and diverse than it has ever been! In fact, according to Airports Council International, worldwide passenger traffic increased once again in 2017 by 6.6%. With many airports today resembling mini-cities, they are on another level when it comes to wear and tear. Thankfully, at FILA, we’re able to protect and prevent damages to flooring in exceptionally high-traffic spaces and ensure the beauty of the surface, no matter the type.
This Middle Eastern airport features flooring of engineered stone which needed restoration and protection; 40,000 sq metres in total to be precise. FILA restored the stone with DETERDEK PRO before performing a treatment with MP90, a solvent-based sealer that will safeguard the flooring from moisture, dirt and continual use.