Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier, announced earlier it will start services to its fifth destination in Pakistan - Sialkot - on Tuesday January 17th 2014, with two flights per week.

Operations to Sialkot International Airport, located around 125km north of Lahore, will provide Gulf Air’s customers, travelling to the Export Triangle of Pakistan – the area encompassing Gujrat, Sialkot and Gujranwala where approximately 60 per cent of Pakistan’s SME’s are located, with an alternative travel proposition.

Gulf Air’s acting chief commercial officer, Ahmed Janahi, commented: “Pakistan is a key longstanding market for Gulf Air and is one of our most successful destinations.

“The recent 30 per cnet frequency increase in our flights to Pakistan, spread across our network in the country - Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar - has been positively received by our passengers, as reflected by strong bookings.

“Therefore, the decision was taken to further strengthen our operations to the country by the addition of a fifth destination – Sialkot.

“Gulf Air operates one of the largest networks in the region and as such presents a unique advantage for our Pakistani customers to reach the Middle East and North African markets with our seamless connection via Bahrain.”

Gulf Air will operate flights to Sialkot on Tuesdays and Fridays with an Airbus A320 aircraft that offers 16 Falcon Gold class seats and 120 in economy.