Oman Air, the national carrier of the Middle Eastern country Oman, is to drop scheduled passenger services to several destinations amid a network restructuring plan. The move comes following the carrier’s announcement in August 2023 that it needed to undertake various changes to stem continuing losses and reduce debts.
Under the changes being made, the company will be dropping services to Islamabad (ISB) and Lahore (LRE) in Pakistan, as well as to the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo (CMB). Flights between the carrier’s hub at Muscat (MCT) and Chittagong (CGP) in Bangladesh will also end under the restructuring process.
In addition to the axing of certain destinations entirely from its network, the carrier will also reduce flights on other routes as the entire flight schedule comes under scrutiny. However, it is not simply about cuts, as Oman Air will add flights from Muscat to Sialkot (SKT) in Pakistan, partly replacing the lost services to that country. It will also increase the frequency of flights to Lucknow (LKO) and Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) in India.
Looking further afield, the company also intends to begin services to Zurich (ZRH, Switzerland), Trabzon (TZX, Turkey), and Male (MLE, Maldives) on a seasonal basis from Muscat. Trabzon will be served during the northern summer season, while the two other destinations will be northern winter-only routes.
“To better cater to the Omani market and serve key flows in and out of Oman, flight times have been revised for several of its destinations,” said Oman Air in a statement.
“The new flight timetable puts “emphasis on more favorable slots to offer greater convenience for direct passengers and maximize connection windows,” the statement added.
Oman Air said that the “strategic changes” to the network are part of the transformation to improve financial performance and “fortify its position in an increasingly competitive market”. The measures include optimizing its schedule from this summer, to serve key flows to and from Oman.
The airline is “continuously evaluating its strategy to adapt to changing market dynamics and identify additional opportunities.” It also states that it is “maintaining alignment with government stakeholders including the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Oman Air remains committed to the economic and social objectives of Oman’s 2040 vision”.
According to ch-aviation, the airline currently operates a fleet of 45 aircraft which includes the Airbus A330-200 (four), A330-300 (six), Boeing 737-800 (seven), 737 MAX 8 (13), 737 MAX 8 (five), 787-8 (two) and 787-9 (seven). In addition to its passenger fleet, the carrier also operates a single 737-800 freighter.