28 September 2020 www.bahrainthismonth.com business bites Air Arabia (PJSC), announced its financial and operational results for the first half of this year ending June 30, 2020 as the global aviation industry continues to battle the impact of COVID-19. The airline registered a net loss of AED 169 million for the first half ending June 30, 2020, a direct result of second quarter performance being heavily impacted by COVID-19 and the subsequent cancellation of scheduled flight operations. The company’s turnover for the first six months of 2020 registered AED 1.021 billion, a drop of 53 per cent compared to AED 2.173 billion in the corresponding period last year. Air Arabia served a total 2.48 million passengers from all its four hubs in the first half of 2020, a drop of 57 per cent compared to first half of 2019. The first half 2020 results were largely driven by the second quarter that witnessed the most severe impact of COVID-19 on airlines operation. Regular flight schedule was affected by airport closures and suspension of flights. Operations during the second quarter relied by large on repatriation, charter, and cargo flights. A SIGN OF THE TIMES Eagle Hills has announced the formation of a joint venture with Emaar Entertainment to bring Marassi Aquarium and Underwater Zoo to Marassi Galleria, an upcoming shopping mall located at the heart of the Marassi Al Bahrain Development. The joint venture agreement was signed by Eagle Hills CEO, Low Ping, and Emaar Properties PJSC Managing Director, Ahmad Al Matrooshi. As the first attraction of its kind, the new addition will span across 26,900 sq ft and will also be home to a state-of-the-art aquarium with the capacity to hold 360,000 litres of water and over 200 species of fish. Operated by Emaar Entertainment, Marassi Aquarium and Underwater Zoo will feature an ultramodern design and a 20-foot-long digital tunnel with multiple interactive digital exhibits. The aquarium will be comprised of 4 different ecological zones; the ‘Rainforest, the ‘Ocean Trench’, the ‘Jellyfish’ (Boom Room) and the ‘Reef Zone’, which includes ‘Lab of the Future’. These are in addition to fifty other thrilling exhibits with hundreds of animals which will make the Aquarium comparable to other world class aquariums across the globe. In collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain, INJAZ Bahrain delivered twenty high-end laptops to students who had difficulties accessing INJAZ Bahrain’s digital programs and online schooling. The initiative which aims to tackle the lack of resources some students may face, took place on July 5. In addition to launching its series of digital programs in response to Covid19 in Bahrain, INJAZ Bahrain took the initiative to survey its students to understand the effectiveness of its new digital programs and address any difficulties and concerns. The results of the survey showed that many students faced challenges accessing our series of online programs and online schooling due to the lack of essential resources, such as, laptops and desktops. In response, a grant was given by the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain to support impacted students and enhance their digital learning experiences. The online programs, delivered by INJAZ Bahrain aim to educate students on workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy, while at home. INJAZ Bahrain has been able to reach more than 5,000 students through its online programs. ONWARDS AND UPWARDS AN EXCITING COLLABORATION
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