Sunday 08 / September / 2024
Muscat: Salalah Airport yesterday celebrated its first anniversary, one year after the first flight landed at the airport on June 15, 2015. The airport represents one of the most important recent developments in Oman under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Commenting on the occasion Salim bin Awadh Al Yafei, Director General of Salalah Airport said, “The Civil aviation sector in Oman has witnessed tremendous growth. It is one of the most prominent sectors to have achieved qualitative and quantitative growth in various areas. “These achievements reflect the importance and support given to the sector by the government, stemming from their comprehensive national strategic vision. “This celebration marks the first anniversary of the vital secondary aviation gateway into the Country after Muscat International Airport. Cultural landmark “The Salalah Airport has also become one of the cultural landmarks of the region, reflecting the success of the Omani Renaissance and the economic and social significance of the Dhofar region.” Thanking the institutions that played an important role in the development and operation of the airport, Salim Al Yafei said: “On this occasion we would like to extend our thanks to the Ministry of Transport and Communication for providing the infrastructure necessary for the development of the airport. “We would also like to thank our strategic partners including PACA, ROP, and Oman Air for their efforts, all of which have reflected positively in the success of Salalah Airport’s operations. “OAMC staff along with our strategic partners are proud to celebrate this occasion, marking the first anniversary of the landing of the first ever aircraft at the Salalah Airport on June 15, 2015. The airport, which was officially launched in November 2015, has since played a prominent role in driving economic and tourist growth in both the Dhofar region and the Sultanate as a whole. We are confident that the role played by the airport will be gradually enhanced in the coming years,” he added. Two million passengers The Salalah Airport can currently accommodate as many as two million passengers annually, and has already catered to 1, 002,653 passengers from the time it opened for operations in June 2015 until the end of April 2016. However, given the expected rise in tourism, plans are already in place to increase the capacity of the airport to 4-6 million passengers in the future. The airport is equipped with 24 kiosks to facilitate the completion of travel procedures, including an area dedicated to Oman Air flights, an area for other flights and an additional two independent self-service kiosks. The airport is built on an area of 65,638sq.m with a new runway area of 4,000x 60m capable of accommodating aircraft of various sizes, including the Airbus380. The old runway is now used as a secondary runway. Eight gates The airport is also equipped with four passenger boarding bridges (PBB), complemented by two gates each, totalling eight gates leading to the passenger arrival and departure halls. The PBB are state-of-the-art facilities used for the first time in Oman. They contribute significantly in the increase in passenger satisfaction, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside and thereby also improving the reliability factor. State-of-the-art technology was also implemented for the baggage handling system of the airport. This system significantly improves the capacity of baggage handling at the airport while implementing a more reliable and efficient sorting system. Additionally, a new system was also established at the Airport Operations Coordination Centre with the aim of improving operation response, and to facilitate future developments. The system integrates operational teams in the new airport, providing accurate and instant information regarding flights to and from Salalah Airport. It also helps in identifying and customising parking processes for the aircraft. The system also controls the travel information screens used in different areas of the terminal.
