Bahrain’s Gulf Air says it is delaying, cancelling flights

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Bahrain’s government-owned Gulf Air cancelled and delayed flights Wednesday as a government official acknowledged several pilots had resigned from the long-haul carrier.

Local media reported flight delays and cancellations on Tuesday and Wednesday at Bahrain International Airport in Manama, the main hub for the international airline.

The airline said in a statement it is “working round the clock to stabilize the operation bringing back our schedule stability.” However, it did not answer questions from The Associated Press about what was affecting its operations.

Officials in the island kingdom off the coast of Saudi Arabia later sent a statement from Zayed bin Rashid al-Zayani, the chairman of Gulf Air’s board of director and a government minister, which acknowledged five pilots had resigned from the company in February. He said Gulf Air had some 362 pilots on its roster.

Local Bahrain media earlier suggested the airline faced a pilot shortage.

The flight delays and cancellations affected multiple destinations. Gulf Air later halted flights to Pakistan after it shut its airspace following its military saying it shot down two Indian fighter jets.