Gradual increase in air traffic at Oman airports

Muscat: There is a continuous growth in air traffic at the airports of the Sultanate of Oman compared to the past months, and we hope during the coming period this movement will return to what it was in the year 2019, said Eng Nayef bin Ali Al Abri, President of the Civil Aviation Authority.

He stressed that the growth in air traffic would be achieved by activating the national carriers and linking them to many new destinations, acquiring new aircraft for the national carriers and attracting other carriers from around the world to the airports of the Sultanate of Oman.

The President of the Civil Aviation Authority stated that the airports of the Sultanate of Oman have recovered more than they were previously, as the percentage reached nearly 70 percent, and he expects that the coming months will witness the return of traffic to airports more than it was in 2019.

The Civil Aviation Authority is keen to enhance cooperation in the field of air transport with various countries and seeks to increase the operation of airlines to and from the airports of the Sultanate of Oman as a contribution to supporting the growth of economic, social and tourism activities.

The Sultanate of Oman is now linked to a number of bilateral agreements in the field of air transport with many countries of the world, aimed at regulating air transport services, including the technical and operational aspects, and strengthening relations in the field of civil aviation with countries of the world.

The President of the Civil Aviation Authority, confirmed that the authority is seeking to sign three other agreements, and there are ongoing negotiations with many other countries.

The number of agreement has now reached 122, of which 66 are open skies agreements between the Sultanate of Oman. and countries of the world, he added.

He said in a statement to Oman News Agency that the authority seeks to invest in these agreements and open windows for national carriers by activating them and linking the Sultanate of Oman with other countries of the world.

He indicated that there are approximately 40 operating companies serving the airports of the Sultanate of Oman in Muscat, Salalah and Sohar, and we hope to attract the largest number in next period.

Statistics issued by the Civil Aviation Authority indicated that the number of passengers through the airports of the Sultanate of Oman increased by 30.3 percent during the first six months of this year, bringing their number to 1.98 million passengers, compared to 842,800 passengers during the same period in 2022.

Aircraft traffic witnessed an increase of 28.4 percent by the end of June 2023, to reach 9,784 flights, compared to 7,622 flights by the end of June 2022.

-ONA