Bahrain Air cuts Airbus order

Low-cost carrier Bahrain Air plans to conclude the purchase of three Airbus planes this year but has scrapped plans to buy a fourth one, reports Reuters.

Ibrahim Abdulla al-Hamer, managing director of Bahrain Air, was cited by Al Waqt newspaper as saying: "The announcement of the final deal will be made during the international air exhibition held in the kingdom for the first time in January 2010.

"The company had planned to buy about four Airbus planes. Due to the current international financial issues there is a delay in the purchasing process and a reduction in the number to three airplanes."

Regional carriers such as Bahrain's state-owned Gulf Air, Emirates Airline and Air Arabia are struggling with a sharp drop in international passenger travel.

Bahrain Air operates eight Airbus A320 and A319 aircraft on 18 destinations in the Middle East and India.