Here is why 34 flights from India to Oman carried only 141 passengers

Oman Wednesday 16/June/2021 20:08 PM
By: Times News Service
Here is why 34 flights from India to Oman carried only 141 passengers
All the passengers who arrived were from the category not covered by the ongoing entry ban like Omani citizens, diplomats, healthcare workers, and their family members.

Muscat: Only 141 passengers have travelled to Oman from India, on the 34 flights that operated between June 7 and June 13, 2021, according to data published by the Civil Aviation Authority.
All of the passengers who did arrive in Oman are from the category of passengers who are not covered by the ongoing entry ban.

Categories of people excluded from the entry ban include Omani citizens, as well as diplomats, healthcare workers, and their families.

Oman Air operated 14 flights, on which a total of 58 passengers travelled to Oman. This included 14 citizens and 44 foreign nationals, at a rate of less than five passengers a flight.

SalamAir organised just the one aircraft, on which two Omanis returned home.

On board eight Air India flights were a total of 34 passengers, 33 of whom were foreign nationals, while on 11 Air India Express flights between the two countries were 45 foreign nationals and two Omani citizens.

“The Civil Aviation Authority would like to note that flights between the Sultanate and the Republic of India operate in accordance with the decisions issued by the Supreme Committee to deal with COVID-19,” said the CAA in a statement.

“The main objective of these flights is to transport citizens of the Republic of India wishing to return to their country and to ship health supplies and goods necessary for Oman, in addition to facilitating the return of citizens, diplomats and health workers from the Republic of India to Oman.

The CAA added, “competent authorities in Oman are also monitoring the small number of Omanis, diplomats and health workers coming to Oman on these flights, who are not allowed to board the flight without testing negative for COVID-19 at the departure point.

“Then, they are re-examined upon their arrival in Oman, and they are quarantined in accordance with the health regulations, and re-examined for a third time on the last day of the quarantine period.”