MightyFalcon From Oman, joined Jun 2001, 384 posts, RR: 10 Posted (11 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days ago) and read 1270 times:
In an interview to Oman News Agency, Abdulrehman bin Harith Al Busaidy, Oman Air’s executive president said the airline would launch 5 new routes before the end of this year in an effort to expand external route network.
These new services will connect Muscat to London, Cairo, Bangkok, Karachi and Kuala Lumpur. Oman Air will lease 3 Airbus A330 and a single Boeing 767 during the next four months to serve its new routes in Europe and East Asia.
In addition, Oman Air will launch its Beirut service in June, via the United Arab Emirates (most probably AUH or DXB, to be confirmed).
The airline is due to receive another 2 Boeing 737-700 in May and June 2002.
Although this is great news for the airline, some questions remain unanswered:
First, from 2 Airbus A310-300 plus one B737-400, Oman Air is in a process to standardize its fleet into a single-type one using B737NG (-700 and –800). Leasing A330 and B767 will add 2 other types for which the airline’s crews are not rated. Unless these will be wet-leased until the airline receives more B737NG (one in May, the other one in June)?
Second, even if Oman Air goes for A330-200 and B767-300, both wide bodies, how are they going to fill up these planes? They dropped the A310s because they were too large and costly to operate.
Last but not least, they will have to fight heavy competition on most of these new routes: British Airways to London Heathrow (B772), Thai Airways (A332), Emirates (A332 and B772/773), Pakistan International Airlines (A300 and B733) and Gulf Air (A343 and 332) as for the other destinations. How can they get any share in such a market? Maybe they are planning to compete with a lower fare? No information has been released on this, so far.
Oman Air is a nice airline, but a small one. They are trying to enter a highly competitive market where they have no experience. I really hope they will be successful and wish them good luck. I am just curious to see the outcome…
As soon as I get some more details about this, I will post you.
Swissgabe From Switzerland, joined Jan 2000, 5265 posts, RR: 36 Reply 5, posted (11 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 1199 times:
Well, if they would go out same as Qatar Airways, Gulf Air etc. they could attract some transit pax but they would have to fly into Europe and with good connections to the Gulf and Asia there would be a potential but since there are also flying EK and the other Airlines I have already mentioned I doubt of a big market. Home many habitants does Oman have, around 2-3 Millions?
I think Omans Sultan is a smart man and he know what he is doing, they need also another infrastructure than Oil and the Economy has a big potential in Oman it self, maybe even better than in Qatar, Bahrain etc. Until now they never wanted to go for Tourism, maybe this has to change in the future...
But I agree that it doesn't make sence to operate two 330 and one 767. Three 330 or three 767 since they got already 737. The 310 will be retired very soon so they should go for Airbus or Boeing, but the only reason to have a mixed fleet would be a political reason.
Smooth as silk - Royal Orchid Service /// Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens - Springbok
Qatar From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 6, posted (11 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1189 times:
Assalamu Alaikum MightyFalcon
On Oman Air's website they say that they will codeshare with Qatar Airways on certain routes, do you know which ones they are. I also heard that Oman Air will codeshare on Qatar Airways DOH-LHR service and Qatar Airways will codeshare with Oman Air into Cochin untill Qatar Airways get the rights to fly to Cochin, is this true or is it just specualtion.
Airmale From Botswana, joined Sep 2004, 369 posts, RR: 2 Reply 7, posted (11 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 1175 times:
Karachi WY quit in 2000 because it wasnt profitable, so why do they want to return? Thai and PIA on the other hand have been operating successfully on the Karachi-Muscat route. By the way Thai operate the A330-300 and not the 200 version.
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From Oman, joined Jun 2001, 384 posts, 
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