Gulf Air's traffic surged 55% in the build-up to the Formula 1 Grand Prix held in Bahrain earlier this month, compared with the corresponding period last year. Meanwhile, traffic for the first quarter of 2004 is up by a third on last year. The Grand Prix was the first to be held in Bahrain, where Gulf Air has its operational base, and the airline has a three-year sponsorship deal as part of its strategy to re-establish its brand internationally. To support increased demand in the run-up to the race, Gulf Air added 14 intra-Gulf flights and two charter flights from Dubai.
Source: Flight International
