National Carrier provides an additional 88,536 seats during the Khareef
To meet the demand due to the increasing volume of passengers flying to Salalah, Oman Air has added extra flights between Salalah-Muscat-Salalah. Demand to Salalah during the Khareef season, which started since June is unprecedented due to the clement weather, and the ongoing Salalah Tourism Festival is an added attraction for the visitors to the Governorate of Dhofar.
Confirming the significance of this route, Oman Air has added frequencies to the Muscat - Salalah - Muscat route. The airline operated up to 9 to 11 daily flights in this sector, since 1st June till 19th August, and up to 11 to 13 daily flights from 20th August till 15th September. Focussing on the importance of the Governorate of Dhofar and in line with the National Carrier's dedicated efforts to promote tourism within the Sultanate, an additional 306 flights were introduced in this sector during the months of June, July, August and September, taking the total number of flights during this period to 1054.
The Salalah Tourism Festival opened on August 10th and will run until September 6th. The festival is a celebration of the history, culture, traditions and landscapes of the Governorate of Dhofar, of which Salalah is an important city. Oman Air strives to promote tourism in the Sultanate, especially so during the Khareef season and also during the Salalah Tourism Festival, which makes Dhofar region one of the most sought after tourist destination. Thousands of visitors come to this region to experience the unique attractions of the area.
Ahmed Alamri, Country Manager - Oman, Oman Air said:
"As the national carrier of Sultanate of Oman and Official Carrier of Salalah Tourism Festival, we are providing extra flights to Salalah to cope with the increased demand largely for Omani families as well as visitors from GCC countries and beyond. We are sure that with these additions, more discerning passengers can take a well-deserved break in Salalah which is proving to be a refreshing respite, especially for people from the Middle East. We are happy that the number of visitors to Salalah is increasing from different Oman Air stations, due to increased flights, which give the passengers more choice and attracts more visitors to this verdant city."
It has always been a practice with Oman Air to provide additional flights to Salalah during the Khareef season and the Salalah Tourism Festival. Oman Air increased flights between the two cities from 210 to 291 flights in June, 217 to 274 flights in July, 216 to 328 flights in August and 105 to 161 flights in September, resulting in a total of 88, 536 additional seats being offered during these months.
About Oman Air
Oman Air is the flagship carrier of the Sultanate of Oman and an Official 4 Star Airline (Skytrax 2011). Founded in 1993, the airline has since witnessed massive growth and has played a major role in making Muscat an important traffic hub in the Middle East, supporting the commercial, industrial and tourism sectors.
The airline currently operates direct international flights from Muscat to Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Tehran and Kuwait, in the Gulf region, as well as Cairo, Beirut and Amman within the wider Middle East region.
In addition, Oman Air flies to ten destinations in India (Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Delhi, Lucknow, Bangalore, Kozhikode and Jaipur), Chittagong in Bangladesh, Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore in Pakistan, Kathmandu in Nepal and Colombo in Sri Lanka. Oman Air also flies to the Maldives, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, Zanzibar and Dar Es Salaam. Its European destinations are London, Milan, Munich, Frankfurt, Paris and Zurich.
Oman Air has also codeshare partnerships with Emirates Airlines giving travellers better connectivity and an extended range of services between Dubai and Muscat as well as with Qatar Airways allowing Oman Air's customers to book flights from any of the 42 departure points within its network to Doha, the capital of Qatar. Earlier this year, Oman Air, entered into a codeshare partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, the national carrier of Ethiopia on the Muscat and Addis Ababa sectors, which will offer greater choice for customers of the two airlines.
Oman Air's fleet currently consists of four Airbus A330-200s, three Airbus A330-300s, 17 Boeing 737-700s/800s, four Embraer E175s and two ATR 42s. Six Boeing 787 Dreamliners are on order for delivery from 2015, three Airbus A330s are expected from December 2014 and six Boeing 737-800s will be added to the fleet, also from 2014. In addition, Oman Air announced at the Paris Air Show 2013 an order for six Boeing 737-900ERs - the first Gulf carrier to take the aircraft. By 2016, Oman Air's total fleet size is expected to be around 50 aircraft.
Oman Air's outstanding aircraft interiors include its First Class Mini Suite, which provides each of the six First Class passengers with direct aisle access and converts to the longest lie-flat seat in the skies. The A330's 20 award-winning Business Class seats each provide direct aisle access, ample storage space and the latest technological amenities. Economy Class seats offer adjustable head and leg rests, together with generous leg and elbow room.
A state of the art in-flight entertainment system features individual seatback screens, audio and video on demand and live satellite TV. In addition, Oman Air has pioneered both mobile telephony and Internet connectivity on board its flights and this is available in all three classes.
Superb new First and Business Class lounges have been opened at Muscat International Airport, featuring elegant and tranquil relaxation areas, complimentary spa treatments and à la carte dining. A lounge-to-aircraft limousine service is also offered to First Class passengers at Muscat.
Oman Air's commitment to quality, comfort and a seamless passenger experience has resulted in international acclaim, including: Best Business Class Seat in the World (Skytrax World Airline Awards 2011, 2012); Service Excellence, Middle East (Skytrax World Airline Awards 2011); Best Luxury Airline, Middle East (Business Destinations Awards 2011, 2012, 2013); Technological Innovation of the Year (Aviation Business Awards 2010); as well as recognition in the TravelPlus Amenity Bag Awards 2010 (three Gold, one Silver), 2011 (two Gold, one bronze), 2012 (one Gold); the Cellars in the Sky Awards 2010 (Silver) and 2012 (two Gold), the KLIA Awards 2011, the 2009 Vision Awards (one Silver, one Bronze) and the Travel Industry Club Awards 2010 (Silver), TTG Travel Award 2011 as Commended Airline of the Year, Best In-flight Connectivity & Communications award in The 2011 Passenger Choice Awards in Seattle USA, The Airline of the Year Award at France's Lauriers d'Or du Voyage d'Affaires, Top Resa 2011.
www.omanair.com
© Press Release 2013
