Tuesday 27 / January / 2026
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman aims to receive more than 40 million passengers by 2040 as part of the National Aviation Strategy 2040, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced during a media briefing held in Muscat on Monday.
Eng. Naif Ali Al Abri, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, said the strategy represents a comprehensive long-term roadmap for developing the civil aviation sector and transforming it from a transportation service into a key economic and developmental driver supporting diversification and financial sustainability.
He explained that, in addition to handling over 40 million passengers, the strategy targets the transportation of around one million tonnes of air cargo, the attraction of more than OMR 1 billion in cumulative private sector investments, and raising the aviation sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to over 3.5 per cent by 2040.
Al Abri noted that the strategy will be implemented over 15 years through three main phases: the Initiation and Readiness Assurance phase (2026–2027), the Acceleration and Take-off phase (2027–2030), and the Soaring phase (2030–2040). He added that the strategy was developed using a participatory approach involving more than 60 national entities, alongside 70 meetings and specialized workshops with sector stakeholders and the wider community.
Hamid Ahmed Al Barashdi, Director General of Strategic Planning at the CAA, said the National Aviation Strategy 2040 is built on nine core principles and will be implemented through 39 initiatives focusing on safety enhancement, economic growth, national workforce development, innovation, digital transformation, and sustainability.
In the field of aviation security, Rawya Nasser Al Adawi, Acting Director General of Civil Aviation Regulation, said Oman achieved a 94.4 per cent compliance rate under the Universal Security Audit Programme with Continuous Monitoring Approach, along with 100 per cent compliance in facilitation requirements during 2025.
She added that the Authority signed eight international air transport service agreements and conducted 21 bilateral negotiation meetings with various countries. During the year, more than 18,000 flight permits were issued, including diplomatic permits, in addition to 3,627 special permits related to aviation obstacles.
Highlighting air navigation performance, Eng. Saleh Abdullah Al Harthy, Director General of Air Navigation, said total air traffic movements in 2025 reached 643,069 aircraft, including 585,357 transit flights through Omani airspace, reflecting growing international confidence in its efficiency and safety.
He added that Omani airports recorded strong activity, with passenger numbers reaching 15,213,150, indicating continued recovery and rising demand in the aviation sector.
In meteorology, Abdullah Rashid Al Khadouri, Director General of Meteorology, said 2025 witnessed a major leap in early warning and forecasting systems. Key projects included the flood modeling index, the launch of the Oman Meteorology website and mobile application, and advanced numerical weather maps with resolutions reaching 2.1 kilometres.
He noted that artificial intelligence technologies were introduced for weather data analysis and forecasting, while the number of meteorological observation stations increased to 83 nationwide.
On the financial front, Hussein Salim Al Rahbi, Director General of Support Services, said CAA revenues in 2025 exceeded OMR 107 million, marking the highest actual collection in the Authority’s history, driven by improved financial management and optimized resource utilization.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Ahmed Al Yafee, Director General of Civil Aviation in Dhofar Governorate, said the Authority received several institutional awards in 2025, reflecting its organizational maturity and commitment to continuous improvement.
Responding to media questions, CAA officials confirmed that the aircraft maintenance building at Muscat International Airport is 98 per cent complete and expected to become operational this year. They also announced that a tender for Sohar Airport construction works will be issued, while most technical studies for the Musandam Airport project have been completed, with its executive plan scheduled for approval during the current year.
