Adding another exclusive partnership to its growing portfolio, Oman Air has signed a new agreement that allows members of its frequent flyer programme, Sindbad, to use their Miles to shop at Muscat Duty Free’s online store. With over a thousand lifestyle products ranging from cutting-edge gadgets to confectionary, luxury fragrances and accessories, and easy pick-up on the way through Muscat International Airport, it’s the perfect excuse for members to treat themselves or even gift someone they love. Mundher Al Shaikhani, Acting Vice President – Marketing, at Oman Air, said, “We’re thrilled to have partnerships with some of the best and most popular lifestyle brands, providing our loyal members with opportunities to use their hard-earned Miles in whole new ways. As Sindbad continues to evolve, we are finding new and unique ways to make their travel more rewarding every time they fly.” Renat Rozpravka, Chief Executive Officer of Muscat Duty Free, added, “We seek to further enhance the world-class offering in Oman, focusing on delivering high-quality products and an enjoyable shopping experience for passengers travelling through Muscat International Airport. We are thrilled to offer this new benefit to our valued members and look forward to seeing how they take advantage of it.” The new agreement means members can pay with their Sindbad Miles when shopping at the Muscat Duty Free online store and pick up their order when departing from or arriving at Muscat International Airport. Alternatively, they can nominate another person to collect it on their behalf. Meanwhile, members can also earn Miles when shopping in-store, benefiting from a rate of 1 Sindbad Mile per 1 Omani Rial spent at Departures, and 2 Sindbad Miles per 1 Omani Rial spent …
Read More »Oman Air increases flights to Moscow
Oman Air has increased the frequency of flights to Moscow as part of its summer schedule. Offering maximum comfort and convenience to its guests, the airline will be flying daily using its popular Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft. The non-stop flight from Muscat will depart at 15:35 and arrive in Moscow at 20:55, while the return sector will depart from Moscow at 23:20 and arrive in Muscat at 06:30. Guests travelling to Muscat or Moscow should ensure they are aware of official requirements to enter or transit through the country. Those wishing to enhance their stay can also book a customised Moscow holiday package through Oman Air Holidays by visiting holidays.omanair.com. To book a flight or for more information, visit omanair.com.
Read More »Oman Air helps boost inbound tourism and investment efforts as Oman Golf Trophy comes to a close
Oman Air applauded the efforts of Oman Golf Association, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, and the Ministry of Commence, Industry and Investment Promotion for a first-of-its-kind golf diplomacy initiative between Oman and Italy, which concluded this week. As the event’s official airline sponsor, the national carrier brought in the qualifying players, who included some of Italy’s most prominent investors, into Oman for the final, held at Al Mouj Golf, Muscat. The event raised awareness about Oman’s tourism and investment potential in Italy and other key European target markets. Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Air, said, “In line with our commitment to Oman’s 2040 Vision, Oman Air is a strong supporter of sports tourism, which is a key vehicle for promoting the country’s natural beauty and rich culture to visitors from all over the world. The Oman Golf Trophy was a huge success, leveraging golf as an ambassador to highlight Oman’s rich investment potential and strengthen diplomatic ties between Oman and Italy. We look forward to seeing more events like it in the future that showcase Oman to the world and provide opportunities for economic growth and job creation.” Oman Air’s efforts to promote investment and sports tourism in Oman are in line with the country’s vision to diversify its economy and create new opportunities for growth. The airline has been a major sponsor of numerous sporting events in Oman and internationally, including most recently the 44Cup, Oman Desert Marathon and Ironman 70.3.
Read More »Oman Air announces network expansion by adding four destinations and increase in frequency over summer this year
Continuing its ambitious and dynamic strategy of fleet and network expansion, Oman Air, the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, has unveiled its summer schedule for 2023. The schedule specifies significant frequency increases on existing routes, and the addition of four destinations—representing a 60% increase in the number of flights from its hub in Muscat compared to the previous year. This will provide the market with approximately 60,000 more seats weekly across its network and provide greater convenience and connectivity for Oman Air guests. The four additional destinations being introduced for the summer schedule are: four-weekly flights from Muscat to Chittagong (from March end); four-weekly flights from Muscat to Maldives (from June end); twelve-weekly flights from Muscat to Lucknow and five-weekly flights between Muscat and Thiruvananthapuram (from August). Due to popular demand, the new summer schedule will see frequency increases to the following regions: Far East Indian Sub-Continent Europe GCC Daily flights to Phuket (from March end, wide-body) Double-daily flights to Mumbai (from March end, wide-body) Daily flights to Moscow (from March end, wide-body) Double-daily flights to Kuwait (from June) Ten-weekly flights to Kuala Lumpur (from June) Double-daily flights to Chennai (from March end) Six-weekly flights to Paris (from March end) Five-daily flights to Salalah (from July) Double-daily flights to Cochin (from March end) Daily flights to Trabzon (from March end) Double-daily flights to Kozhikode (from March end) Double-daily flights to Istanbul (from June) Double-daily flights to Hyderabad (from March end) Daily flights to Dhaka (from March end, wide-body) The expanded network and schedule for 2023 demonstrates Oman Air’s ongoing efforts to contribute to the economy of …
Read More »Oman Air celebrates first Female Omani Captain
Oman’s aviation industry has reached a landmark moment with the announcement of Oman Air pilot Maha Al Balushi as the first female Omani Captain. Al Balushi officially received her new rank during a ceremony recently held at the Oman Air’s headquarters in Muscat, the latest in a string of firsts she has achieved over her decade-long career with the airline. Al Balushi said, “My dream has always been to become a Captain. It hasn’t been easy but thanks to the support I have around me, from my family to my training team and the airline, I have accomplished what I set out to do. It is an honour to hold this role and I hope that I will inspire other Omani women to choose such a rewarding career in the skies.” Captain Moosa Al Shidhani, Senior Vice President Flight Operations at Oman Air, added, “We are thrilled to have Ms. Al Balushi as our first female Omani Captain, and we believe this is just the beginning of great things to come. This is not just a milestone for our airline but for Oman’s aviation industry, and we are honoured to play a leading role in its progress by continuing to nurture Omani talent in all areas of our operations.” Maha Al Balushi has been with Oman Air since 2010, after graduating from the cadet programme at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia, the only woman who was enrolled in the programme at the time. Ms. Al Balushi also made waves when she became Oman’s first female First Officer in 2013. Oman Air continues to pursue a proactive policy of recognising talented and qualified women and supporting them …
Read More »Oman Air’s Sindbad Programme added to Ooredoo’s Nojoom Partners
Continuing to enrich the travel experience, Oman Air’s frequent flyer programme, Sindbad, has been added to Ooredoo’s list of Nojoom partners. Nojoom members with Shahry postpaid or Home Internet plans can now convert their loyalty points to Sindbad Miles, which can be spent on a host of Oman Air’s products and services including flight tickets, upgrades, and much more. Whether going for a business trip or jetting away on a holiday, travel just got even more rewarding! Mundher Al Shaikhani, Senior Manager Holidays and Loyalty Programme at Oman Air, said, “As part of our ongoing transformation strategy, we continue to expand and diversify our partners, offering our members more ways to enhance their everyday lives, whether its earning Miles or spending them. Ooredoo is a great addition to our portfolio, and we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership that is mutually beneficial for our customers on both sides.” Feras Al Shaikh, Director of Marketing at Ooredoo, said: “Customer experience is at the heart of what we do and providing awesome rewards and value is something we know our customers love. We’re proud to be partnering with the country’s national airline to give subscribers even more ways to enjoy life to the max. We look forward to a long-standing and collaborative relationship.” Sindbad, the national airline’s award-winning frequent flyer programme, allows members to spend Miles both in the air and on the ground, including free flights, flight upgrades, raffles and promotions. Membership has three tiers, each offering a wide range of benefits, with the higher tiers bringing exclusive lounge access, extra baggage allowance, priority check-in and other exciting privileges. Meanwhile, Ooredoo’s loyalty programme, Nojoom, offers amazing deals on a …
Read More »Oman Air checks in with bespoke HSBC Oman global currency solution
Oman Air has partnered with HSBC Oman on a unique and innovative international payments process, which will dramatically increase efficiency and security. Via a centralised treasury hub in Oman, HSBC’s Global Disbursement solution, developed as a bespoke service for Oman Air, will deliver simultaneous multiple currency payments and an improved track and trace function for every transaction. The new service enables Oman Air to process foreign currency payments through a single bank account, using HSBC’s extensive global network and transparent FX rates. This reduces dependency on other third party banks, reducing the costs of processing these payment types and the hours worked in doing so. This strengthens the relationship with HSBC as Oman Air’s bank of choice for international payments. “Oman Air continues to invest in innovative financial solutions as a crucial component of our success as a truly global airline,” said Oman Air Chief Executive Officer Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi. “HSBC’s Global Disbursement solution provides us with simplicity, expediency, and security. We are confident that this partnership will enable us to achieve a more streamlined international payments procedure and ultimately, enhance our guest experience,” Eng. Abdulaziz continued. “At HSBC Oman, we are committed to innovating in our technology to make banking easier, more accessible, and more secure for our clients. Our Global Disbursement solution is designed to simplify the cross border payment process by reducing costs, minimizing risk and improving transparency. Our Global Payments Solutions Team has a proven record of providing clients across the MENAT Region with a comprehensive suite of market leading, innovative solutions and products to help them do business every day,” said Melika Betley, CEO of HSBC Oman. The Global Disbursement solution will introduce significant …
Read More »Oman Air highlights its digital transformation strategy and roadmap for 2023
Continuing to drive transformation in the aviation sector, Oman Air’s Digital department recently held its annual workshop. Attended by members of senior leadership and key stakeholders, the workshop reviewed the progress of the company’s ongoing digital transformation strategy and its IT Roadmap for 2023. During 2022, the company accomplished a number of digital initiatives to support its strategic goals. Among them was the restructuring of its Passenger Service System (PSS) to advance its digital retailing capabilities, facilitating the initiation of a new internet booking engine and mobile app. A New Distribution Capability (NDC) solution was also developed to allow travel agents to deliver rich content and ancillary to customers, while, in order to promote crew and operational efficiency, an elegant Crew Pairing and Fleet Management system with AIMS was established. Further safeguarding data and cybersecurity, the airline introduced a Privileged Access Management Solution, an enhanced IT Service Continuity initiative and Disaster Recovery Plan. Recently, the company also announced it has joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as a founding member of the pioneering Modern Airline Retailing programme alongside a global consortium of airlines. Leveraging the ‘Offers and Orders’ system, the group intends to spur technological advancement in the industry and create value for customers by reducing the hassles of increasingly complex passenger document checking requirements. Dr. Khalid Al Zadjali, Senior Vice President – Digital at Oman Air, said, “In this digital age and in the face of increasing competition, its vital that we capitalise early on advanced technologies in order to stay ahead of the curve. As such, we continue to invest in long-term, sustainable efficiencies, whilst improving IT service delivery right across the organisation, and to our guests. …
Read More »Oman Air celebrates inaugural flight to Phuket
Oman Air officially inaugurated its highly anticipated route to Phuket, celebrating the first flight with a ceremony at its First and Business Class check-in counter at Muscat International Airport. The airline has introduced four direct flights a week to the popular resort island, which boasts many of Thailand’s most famous and beautiful locations. Guests can enjoy their holiday from the moment they fly with Oman Air’s award-winning on-board amenities, including in-flight entertainment, quality meal service and comfort touches, all designed to make every journey more comfortable, refreshing and seamless. Aboudy Nasser, Chief Commercial Officer of Oman Air, said, “As part of our network expansion programme, our new flights will address the huge demand for passenger travel between Muscat and Phuket, especially during the peak winter season. With nature, culture and plenty of activities, Phuket is an ideal family destination and, just five hours away from Muscat, it offers a great option for a getaway. Meanwhile, we continue to stay attuned to our guests needs, connect them to destinations they want to go, and elevate their travel experience.” Oman Air’s Muscat/Phuket flights will operate on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The Tuesday flight from Muscat will depart at 09:40 and arrive in Phuket at 18:50. The Thursday flight from Muscat will depart at 22:50 and arrive in Phuket on Friday at 08:00. The first flight on Saturday will depart Muscat at 09:40 and arrive in Phuket at 18:50, while the second flight will depart at 22:50 and arrive on Sunday at 08:00 Guests travelling to Muscat and Phuket should ensure they are aware of official requirements to enter or transit through the country. To make a booking, visit omanair.com Guests can also …
Read More »Oman Air signs renewed Passenger Service System (PSS) and distribution agreement to drive retailing and digital transformation
Sabre Corporation and Oman Air announced at the World Passenger Symposium (WPS), a renewed long-term agreement to help the airline reach its strategic goals. The agreement includes a multi-year renewal of Oman Air’s SabreSonic Passenger Service System (PSS) and a further multi-year extension of its global distribution system agreement. This will ensure Oman Air continues to utilize Sabre’s technology, retailing capabilities and global scope to push forward its digital transformation. By renewing its exclusive PSS agreement and investing in Sabre’s Digital Connect APIs, Oman Air aims to advance its digital retailing strategy, drive revenue growth and increase self-service capabilities. Digital Connect will also help Oman Air accelerate its digital transformation and bring products to the marketplace quickly, providing scalability and flexibility across its digital touchpoints, such as its website and mobile app. “A new approach of retailing is required for all players in the travel ecosystem to succeed in a highly competitive landscape,” said Roshan Mendis, Chief Commercial Officer, Sabe Travel Solutions. “This intelligent retailing approach allows Oman Air to differentiate its brands and personalize its offerings through all channels. It also enables agencies to efficiently shop and compare increasingly sophisticated offers, which will also bring greater choice and transparency to Oman Air’s travelers. As Sabre focuses on delivering more intelligent retailing solutions to meet changing traveler expectations, I’m proud that we are able to help Oman Air realize its transformation vision.” The renewed distribution agreement enables Oman Air to continue to reach Sabre’s valuable network of global buyers, while ensuring that Sabre-connected travel buyers have access to the airline’s comprehensive fares and content – including ancillaries. “We are pleased to announce the renewal of our PSS as well as …
Read More »