Dublin Announced:

http://www.ameinfo.com/64288.html

niege: maybe 'several' was a pprune-ism, but there are at least two, one in charge of marketing the airport, by the initials DR.... can't recall the name of the other, maybe he is no more... it's been awhile since dealt with them...and they do have an influence on GF together with Bahrain Duty Free (aka Aer Rianta...!!) They are all buddies and talk to each other.

vfe: aer rianta maybe 'only' interested in duty free these day, but the fact is that this is an inherent part of airport management and revenue generation for the airport/aviation authorities themselves. Bahrain is the regional HQ for Aer Rianta, and they are involved in duty free at airports across the region.

Given a reasonable Irish population in Bahrain, Dubai and elsewhere in Gulf, it wouldn't surprise me if these paddies referred to above had an influence, albeit intangible and not measurable, on the choice of GF to finally start ops to Dublin, even if the business model here is much bigger than the origin destinataion traffic that BAH and DXB can produce on their own (with out the worldwide connex traffic).....

My own surprise is that EK didn't get there first...

There is a non etops route from the Gulf to Nairobi. From there they could route over Lilongwe ( Malawi) and Harare to JHB.

ZONES, not sure but you sound like any influence brought by the Irish community is unfair! Personally I think it's fair enough and about time someone from the Gulf took on the DUB route. With all the business links to this area it will be a great success. The College of Surgeons Ireland have just expanded in Bahrain which is probably a bigger influence than Aer Rianta. James Hogan had a meeting with the Irish Prime Minister last year, thats how long this has been in the planning. Don't forget GF will offer Australia out of Dublin which will be very popular. If EK are late on the route that's their problem, it is surely a safer bet than some of the more obscure destinations they fly to.

VFE - certainly not, I have many Irish friends, both in Bahrain and around the world. Got no bones on the matter. Was just pointing out, anecdotally, that this may have happened.

I wouldn't have made another comment, but felt I needed to correct niege's suggestion that my facts may have been wrong, or yours that that Aer Rianta didn't have a strong influence in matters aviation in Bahrain, esp. at the airport level.

Of course the 'real' decision is at a different level and based on other matters such as dollars/cents or dinars & fils! ( ~ the latter you sometimes wonder however :O ) But I still would bet that BDF were pleased for more than business reasons that DUb is starting up! (And good on 'em...)

The same is true for the routing opportunities that Dublin will benefit from... more important than the Irish in Bahrain clamouring for the route..

So, you did mis-read from where I was coming from... not a big deal tho'... :ok: