Oman Air
Encyclopedia
Oman Air is the national airline
of Oman
. Based on the grounds of Muscat International Airport in Muscat
, it operates scheduled domestic and international passenger services, as well as regional air taxi
and charter flights. Its main base is Muscat International Airport. Oman Air is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization
. As of 1 March 2010, Oman Air has become the first airline in the world to offer both mobile phone calling, SMS,Wi-Fi Internet services on selected routes. In April 2011, Oman Air was upgraded to a four star airline, with its business class being recognised with five stars and it was named the World's Best Business Class Airline Seat award at the 2011 World Airline Awards hosted by Skytrax
.
In 2011, Oman Air won the Gold award for the "Airline of the Year" at France’s Laurier d’Or du Voyage d’Affaires.
. The company took over Gulf Air
’s Light Aircraft Division in 1977, before establishing Aircraft Engineering Division in the same year. Rapidly expanding civil aviation industry of Oman led OIS to the building of several facilities – including hangars, workshops and in-flight catering – to cater for the increase in activity.
In 1981, Oman Aviation Services became a joint-stock company. OAS also purchased thirteen aircraft from Gulf Air, allowing the company to replace its turboprop
s Fokker 27-600 with the −500 series. The following year, Oman Aviation Services jointly commenced jet services, along with Gulf Air, to Salalah
. From 1983 to 1993, the company purchased new equipment, including the Cessna Citation
, and new facilities to help it improve its services.
from Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services (AWAS) flew from Muscat
to Sulalah. In July of the same year, the airline's first international flight was operated to Dubai
, also using a Boeing 737–300. Flights to other destinations quickly followed, with Trivandrum services starting in November, Kuwait
and Karachi
in January 1994, and Colombo
in October. In 1995, two Airbus A320s
were wet-leased from Region Air of Singapore
to replace the 737s. From 1995 to 1997, services were commenced to Mumbai
, Dhaka
, Abu Dhabi
, Doha
and Chennai
. In October 1998, Oman Air was admitted in the international aviation industry trade group International Air Transport Association
(IATA). By the end of the following year, Gwader, Peshawar
, Jeddah
and Al-Ain were included in the airline's ever-expanding route network, although the former two, along with a host of other destinations, were withdrawn in 2000.
In March 2007, the Omani government recapitalised the airline, which saw the government increasing its stake in the airline from approximately 33 to 80 percent. It was also announced that Oman Air would be re-evaluating its strategic plans, with a possibility of entering the long-haul market. This culminated in the announcement by the government in May 2007 that it would be pulling out of Gulf Air
, and would instead concentrate on developing Oman Air. Oman Air commenced its long-haul
services on November 26, 2007 by launching flights to Bangkok
and London
. With the arrival of its new Airbus A330-200/300
aircraft further long haul routes are planned. As of November 2010, the Omani government holds a 99.8% stake in the airline.
in Muscat.
On 2 April 2007, Oman Air announced it had placed a firm order with Airbus for five Airbus A330
aircraft for delivery in 2009. At the Dubai Air Show of the same year, Oman Air finalised the order, which involved three A330-300's and two A330-200's. Deliveries started during the third quarter of 2009. In February 2009, Oman Air announced intentions to lease another two A330-200 from Jet Airways
. It will only have Business and economy class.
During the 2009 Dubai Air Show, Oman Air Air finalised an order for five Embraer 175 aircraft with another five options, which the airline will receive from 2011 onwards. Whilst four of these aircraft will operate on Oman Air's domestic and Middle East network, the fifth will be used by the Royal Oman Police
.
, launched in 2007. Sindbad has a partnership agreement with the respective programs of Etihad Airways
and Gulf Air
.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
of Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
. Based on the grounds of Muscat International Airport in Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
, it operates scheduled domestic and international passenger services, as well as regional air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
and charter flights. Its main base is Muscat International Airport. Oman Air is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization
Arab Air Carriers Organization
The Arab Air Carriers Organization , established in 1965, is a non profit organization and has 24 Arab airlines as members.AACO was established by the League of Arab States . Its goal is to promote cooperation, quality and safety standards among the Arab airlines...
. As of 1 March 2010, Oman Air has become the first airline in the world to offer both mobile phone calling, SMS,Wi-Fi Internet services on selected routes. In April 2011, Oman Air was upgraded to a four star airline, with its business class being recognised with five stars and it was named the World's Best Business Class Airline Seat award at the 2011 World Airline Awards hosted by Skytrax
Skytrax
Skytrax is a United Kingdom-based consultancy, the public face of Inflight Research Services, which has the largest airline and airport review and ranking site. It conducts research for commercial airlines...
.
In 2011, Oman Air won the Gold award for the "Airline of the Year" at France’s Laurier d’Or du Voyage d’Affaires.
In the beginning
Oman Air can trace its root back to 1970, when Oman International Services (OIS) was established. The company became a civil aircraft ground handling provider at Beit Al Falaj Airport. In 1972, OIS moved its operations to the new terminal at Seeb International AirportSeeb International Airport
Muscat International Airport is the main airport in Muscat, Oman. It is the hub for the national carrier Oman Air. The distance from Old Muscat is 30 km and it is 15 km from the main residential localities. At the moment the airport is being expanded and modernized...
. The company took over Gulf Air
Gulf Air
Gulf Air is the principal flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Headquartered in Muharraq, adjacent to Bahrain International Airport, the airline operates scheduled services to 45 destinations in 28 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe. Its main base is Bahrain International Airport...
’s Light Aircraft Division in 1977, before establishing Aircraft Engineering Division in the same year. Rapidly expanding civil aviation industry of Oman led OIS to the building of several facilities – including hangars, workshops and in-flight catering – to cater for the increase in activity.
In 1981, Oman Aviation Services became a joint-stock company. OAS also purchased thirteen aircraft from Gulf Air, allowing the company to replace its turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
s Fokker 27-600 with the −500 series. The following year, Oman Aviation Services jointly commenced jet services, along with Gulf Air, to Salalah
Salalah
Salalah , is the capital and seat of the governor or Wali of the southern Omani province of Dhofar. The population of Salalah was 197,169 in 2009....
. From 1983 to 1993, the company purchased new equipment, including the Cessna Citation
Cessna Citation
The Cessna Citation is a marketing name used by Cessna for its line of business jets. Rather than one particular model of aircraft, the name applies to several "families" of turbofan-powered aircraft that have been produced over the years...
, and new facilities to help it improve its services.
New airline: 1993
In 1993, Oman Air was founded. The airline's first flight was in March, when a wet-leased Boeing 737-300Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
from Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services (AWAS) flew from Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
to Sulalah. In July of the same year, the airline's first international flight was operated to Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, also using a Boeing 737–300. Flights to other destinations quickly followed, with Trivandrum services starting in November, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
in January 1994, and Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
in October. In 1995, two Airbus A320s
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
were wet-leased from Region Air of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
to replace the 737s. From 1995 to 1997, services were commenced to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
, Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
and Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. In October 1998, Oman Air was admitted in the international aviation industry trade group International Air Transport Association
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
(IATA). By the end of the following year, Gwader, Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
and Al-Ain were included in the airline's ever-expanding route network, although the former two, along with a host of other destinations, were withdrawn in 2000.
In March 2007, the Omani government recapitalised the airline, which saw the government increasing its stake in the airline from approximately 33 to 80 percent. It was also announced that Oman Air would be re-evaluating its strategic plans, with a possibility of entering the long-haul market. This culminated in the announcement by the government in May 2007 that it would be pulling out of Gulf Air
Gulf Air
Gulf Air is the principal flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Headquartered in Muharraq, adjacent to Bahrain International Airport, the airline operates scheduled services to 45 destinations in 28 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe. Its main base is Bahrain International Airport...
, and would instead concentrate on developing Oman Air. Oman Air commenced its long-haul
Flight length
In aviation, the flight length is defined as the time airborne during a flight.- Domestic :A short-haul domestic flight is commonly categorized into being no longer than 1.5 hours in length, meaning that all domestic flights within a country such as the United Kingdom are short-haul...
services on November 26, 2007 by launching flights to Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. With the arrival of its new Airbus A330-200/300
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
aircraft further long haul routes are planned. As of November 2010, the Omani government holds a 99.8% stake in the airline.
Destinations
As of December 2009, Oman Air operates 296 flights a week within a network of 36 destinations in 19 countries out of its primary hubAirline hub
An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
in Muscat.
Codeshare agreements
Oman Air has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:- BMIBmi (airline)British Midland Airways Limited , is an airline based at Donington Hall in Castle Donington in the United Kingdom, close to East Midlands Airport, and a fully owned subsidiary of Lufthansa...
(Star AllianceStar AllianceStar Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
) - EmiratesEmirates AirlineEmirates is the airline based in the Emirate of Dubai part of the United Arab Emirates . Based at Dubai International Airport it is the largest airline in the Middle East, operating over 2,400 flights per week, from its hub at Terminal 3, to 111 cities in 62 countries across six continents...
- Ethiopian AirlinesEthiopian AirlinesEthiopian Airlines , formerly Ethiopian Air Lines, often referred to as simply Ethiopian, is an airline headquartered on the grounds of Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It serves as the country's flag carrier, and is wholly owned by the Government of Ethiopia...
(future Star AllianceStar AllianceStar Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
member) - Gulf AirGulf AirGulf Air is the principal flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Headquartered in Muharraq, adjacent to Bahrain International Airport, the airline operates scheduled services to 45 destinations in 28 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe. Its main base is Bahrain International Airport...
- Malaysia AirlinesMalaysia AirlinesMalaysian Airline System Berhad , DBA Malaysia Airlines , is the government-owned flag carrier of Malaysia. Malaysia Airlines operates flights from its home base, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and its eastern hub in Kota Kinabalu. It has its headquarters on the grounds of Sultan Abdul Aziz...
(future OneworldOneworldOneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
member)
Fleet
As of May 2011, the Oman Air fleet consists of the following aircraft with an average age of 4.1 years:| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Options | Passengers | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | J | Y | Total | |||||
| Airbus A330-200 | 4 | — | — | 0 | 20 | 196 | 216 | |
| Airbus A330-300 | 3 | — | — | 6 | 20 | 204 | 230 | |
| ATR 42-500 | 2 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 46 | 46 | Replacement Aircraft: Embraer 175 |
| Boeing 737-700 | 2 | — | — | 0 | 12 | 102 | 114 | |
| Boeing 737-800 | 13 | 4 | — | 0 | 12 | 142 | 154 | Deliveries: 2009–2011 |
| Boeing 787-8 | — | 6 | — | TBD | All to be leased from ALAFCO ALAFCO ALAFCO is an aircraft-leasing company, based in Kuwait. It is jointly owned by the Kuwait Finance House and Kuwait Airways, the flag carrier of Kuwait... Entry into service: 2014 |
|||
| Embraer 175 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 60 | 72 | |
| Total | 26 | 13 | 5 | |||||
On 2 April 2007, Oman Air announced it had placed a firm order with Airbus for five Airbus A330
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
aircraft for delivery in 2009. At the Dubai Air Show of the same year, Oman Air finalised the order, which involved three A330-300's and two A330-200's. Deliveries started during the third quarter of 2009. In February 2009, Oman Air announced intentions to lease another two A330-200 from Jet Airways
Jet Airways
Jet Airways is a major Indian airline based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is India's largest airline and the market leader in the domestic sector. It operates over 400 flights daily to 76 destinations worldwide. Its main hub is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, with secondary hubs at Delhi,...
. It will only have Business and economy class.
During the 2009 Dubai Air Show, Oman Air Air finalised an order for five Embraer 175 aircraft with another five options, which the airline will receive from 2011 onwards. Whilst four of these aircraft will operate on Oman Air's domestic and Middle East network, the fifth will be used by the Royal Oman Police
Royal Oman Police
The Royal Oman Police , also known as Oman Police , is the main law and order agency for the Sultanate of Oman. It maintains a helicopter fleet and also carries on the duties of safeguarding the long Omani coastline.-Background:...
.
Frequent flyer program
Sindbad is the airline's frequent flyer programFrequent flyer program
A frequent flyer program is a loyalty program offered by many airlines. Typically, airline customers enrolled in the program accumulate frequent flyer miles corresponding to the distance flown on that airline or its partners. There are other ways to accumulate miles...
, launched in 2007. Sindbad has a partnership agreement with the respective programs of Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways is the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates. Established in July 2003 and based at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad commenced operations in November 2003....
and Gulf Air
Gulf Air
Gulf Air is the principal flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Headquartered in Muharraq, adjacent to Bahrain International Airport, the airline operates scheduled services to 45 destinations in 28 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe. Its main base is Bahrain International Airport...
.