Oman Air transported almost a million passengers last year: a total of 983,880 passengers flew on the airline compared to 926,933 passengers the previous year, or an increase of just over 6 per cent.
Seat occupancy rates reached 68 per cent last year compared to 64 per cent in the year before, according to Ziad Al Harmi, director of Oman Air’s business administration.
The airline operated a total of 14,178 flights to it 20 destinations – compared to 11,416 flights in 2003, an was an increase of 24.2 per cent.
As one of the Middle East’s few public shareholding airlines and with 1,000 employees, Oman Air serves 20 destinations with its fleet of nine planes, including Muscat, Salalah and Khasab in Oman, the other five GCC states plus Cairo and Beirut, four Indian destinations, three East African destinations and Sri Lanka.
Earlier this year, three new destinations – Delhi and Hyderabad in India and a new Middle Eastern destination will be added, with the airline’s long-term mission – unlike other Gulf-based airlines who focus on international destinations – being local and regional.
Last year, Oman Air posted a loss of $2.8 million for the first half of 2004, a reduction on the $4.2 million loss in the same period last year, but it pledged to break even by the year end. Revenues were up seven per cent to 81.4 million and expenses rose by four per cent to $83 million.