Gulf Air BahrainGF

Gulf Air is the flag carrier airline of the Kingdom of Bahrain, headquartered at Bahrain International Airport (BAH). Founded in 1950, Gulf Air is one of the oldest airlines in the Middle East and became wholly owned by Bahrain in 2007 after previously being a joint venture between several Gulf states.

The airline operates a modern fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A320neo family aircraft, serving over 50 destinations across the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, Far East, Africa, and Europe. Gulf Air positions itself as a boutique carrier, emphasizing personalized service and Bahraini hospitality rather than competing on scale with the larger Gulf carriers.

Gulf Air is independent with no alliance membership, operating its own Falconflyer loyalty program. The airline is known for its Falcon Gold business class featuring fully-flat beds, award-winning cuisine with the Choose Your Cuisine pre-order service, and signature Bahraini hospitality.

Carry-On Allowance

Personal Item (free on all fares):

• Handbag, pocketbook, or purse appropriate to normal travel
• No additional charge

Cabin Bag:

Class	Dimensions	Weight
Economy	45 x 40 x 30 cm (18 x 16 x 12 in)	6 kg (13 lbs)
Falcon Gold	55 x 40 x 30 cm (22 x 16 x 12 in)	9 kg (20 lbs)

Falcon Gold Alternative: One garment bag (max 20 cm width) + briefcase (45 x 40 x 30 cm), total 9 kg

Checked Baggage

Fare Type	Pieces	Weight per Piece
Light Economy	1 bag	23 kg (50 lbs)
Economy	2 bags	23 kg (50 lbs) each
Falcon Gold	2 bags	32 kg (70 lbs) each

Size Limits: No single bag may exceed 158 cm (62 in) linear dimensions or 32 kg (70 lbs)

U.S. Routes: Passengers traveling to/from the Americas are permitted 2 pieces with combined linear dimensions not exceeding 273 cm (107 in), maximum 23 kg (50 lbs) each.

Overweight Fees

Weight Range	Online (25+ hrs before)	At Airport
23-32 kg (51-70 lbs)	$130 USD	$170 USD

Important: Bags over 32 kg must be repacked (except mobility aids). A maximum of 50 kg excess baggage can be purchased online.

Student Allowance

Students traveling to/from their university location (from/to Bahrain) receive an extra 10 kg on top of standard allowance. Must present valid student ID, student visa, or university acceptance letter at check-in.

Infant & Child Baggage

Passenger	Checked	Cabin	Extras
Infants (under 2)	1 x 10 kg	44 x 35 x 20 cm, 3 kg	Stroller + car seat free
Children (2+ years)	Same as adult	Same as adult	Stroller + car seat free

Special Items

Item	Policy
Golf clubs	Counts toward allowance
Skis/snowboards	Counts toward allowance
Car seat	FREE (gate-check available)
Stroller	FREE (collapsible, gate-check available)
Wheelchair/mobility aids	FREE
Musical instruments	Cabin if fits dimensions, hard case for checked

Fees as of January 2025. Verify at gulfair.com/help/baggage.

Fleet Overview

Aircraft	Configuration	Routes
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner	26 Falcon Gold + 256 Economy	Long-haul (Europe, Far East)
Airbus A321neo/LR	16 Falcon Gold + 150 Economy	Medium-haul
Airbus A320neo	All Economy or mixed	Regional/short-haul

Falcon Gold (Business Class)

Boeing 787-9 Seats:

• B/E Aerospace Apex Suite (same as Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Oman Air)
• Configuration: 2-2-2 staggered
• Pitch: 80-90 inches
• Width: 22 inches (25.5 inches lie-flat)
• Bed length: 220 cm (78+ inches) - among the longest in the industry
• Fully-flat bed extending to ottoman
• Massage function
• 21.5-inch entertainment screen
• 2 USB-A ports per seat

Airbus A321neo LR Seats:

• Collins Aerospace Parallel Diamond seats
• Configuration: 2-2
• Fully-flat bed: 78 inches long

Amenities:

• Premium amenity kit (dental kit, brush, eye mask, earplugs, socks, lip balm, moisturizer, perfume)
• Pyjamas available on longer flights (by request)
• Priority check-in and boarding
• Dedicated immigration at BAH
• Falcon Gold Lounge access

Economy Class

Boeing 787-9 Seats:

• Pitch: 32 inches (81 cm)
• Width: 17.5 inches
• Recline: 3 inches
• No entertainment box under seat ("box free" for full legroom)
• Personal entertainment screen at each seat

A320neo Family:

• Standard 3-3 configuration
• Personal screens
• WiFi available

Entertainment

Personal Screens:

• Falcon Gold: 21.5-inch screen
• Economy: Personal screen at each seat

Content:

• ~150+ movies in multiple languages
• TV series, documentaries
• Music channels (Arabic, Western, Hindi, Classical)
• Children's programming
• Games
• Refreshed regularly

WiFi

Falcon Wi-Fi available on equipped aircraft:

• Stay connected for email and messaging
• Available throughout flight
• Coverage on 787-9 and A320neo family

Dining

Economy Class:

• Complimentary meals on all flights
• All meals Halal-certified
• Choice of 2-3 options (chicken, meat, vegetarian)
• Complimentary beverages

Falcon Gold:

• Choose Your Cuisine service: Pre-select from 10 curated dishes via website/app (6 months to 24 hours before departure)
• Multi-course dining
• Premium beverages
• Standard menu available if no pre-selection made

Special Meals (17 options available):

• Baby Meal (BBML)
• Children's Meal (CHML)
• Gluten-free
• Indian Vegetarian (AVML)
• Jain Vegetarian (VJML)
• Low Salt (LSML)
• Request via Manage Booking, minimum 24 hours before departure

Booking:

• Compare Light Economy vs standard Economy - 23 kg vs 46 kg baggage makes a significant difference
• Book directly on gulfair.com for easiest changes and full baggage visibility
• Use "Choose Your Cuisine" for Falcon Gold - avoid disappointment with meal selection

Baggage:

• Pre-purchase excess baggage online at least 25 hours before departure for significant savings ($130 vs $170 at airport)
• Students traveling to/from university get +10 kg free - bring documentation
• Maximum 50 kg excess can be purchased online per booking

At Bahrain Airport:

• Check-in up to 24 hours early with baggage (except London flights)
• Falcon Gold passengers have separate immigration/security - fast-track experience
• New terminal opened 2021 - modern, efficient, good signage to Falcon Gold Lounge

Falcon Gold Lounge:

• Open 3-4 hours before flight (confirm at check-in)
• Gaming zone with VR, pool table - good for long layovers
• WiFi speeds excellent (270+ Mbps download)
• Black members: 2 guests free; Gold members: 1 guest free

Connections via Bahrain:

• Bahrain offers a compact, efficient connection experience
• Minimum connection time ~60-90 minutes
• Good stopover option to explore Manama

In-Flight:

• 787-9 Economy is "box free" - no entertainment unit under seat, full legroom
• Request window seat on 787 for electronic dimming windows
• Falcon Gold Apex Suite: Storage is limited - use ottoman compartment

Falconflyer Tips:

• Miles expire after 36 months of inactivity - any activity resets the clock
• Family pooling available even at Blue tier (70% earning rate)
• Can upgrade tier status using miles if close to qualification

Common Issues:

• 6 kg carry-on limit in Economy is strictly enforced - weigh your bag
• Mobile boarding pass only accepted at select airports - check your departure city
• No alliance membership means limited partner earning/redemption options