Oman Air (WY) is set to reintroduce flights to Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, from October 1, 2023. With four weekly flights, this move marks a significant step forward in enhancing connectivity between Oman and Kerala. Interestingly, Thiruvananthapuram was Oman Air’s inaugural destination in India two decades ago.
This development is expected to provide travelers with more budget-friendly options as direct flights on this route promise reduced airfares. Oman Air offers connection services from Muscat to Thiruvananthapuram in partnership with Air India. These direct flights are set to commence in October, marking a significant milestone for air travel between Oman and Kerala.
As part of its comprehensive restructuring program, Oman Air’s Minister of Transport, Eng Saeed Al Mawali, recently revealed plans to address persistent financial losses and mounting debt issues. International experts are actively reevaluating the airline’s network and making decisions regarding the continuation of specific destinations. Additionally, integrating with Salam Air is a top priority within the program.
In addition to these developments, Oman Air is expanding its operations in India this summer. The airline will add two new destinations in India while increasing capacity on other routes.
These flights will be operated using a mix of Boeing B737-800 and B737MAX-8 aircraft, offering Business and Economy Class cabins.
Oman’s low-cost carrier, SalamAir, has made the decision to suspend its operations to and from India, effective from October 1. This announcement has far-reaching implications for India and the recently announced connections from Fujairah Airport in the UAE to three Indian cities: Jaipur, Lucknow, and Thiruvananthapuram. An email from SalamAir’s Trivandrum office explicitly stated that all schedules to and from Muscat to India stand cancelled from October onwards. Passengers who had confirmed bookings with SalamAir for flights on these routes can rest assured, as agents have confirmed that they will receive full refunds. While an official statement from
SalamAir is pending, reports suggest that the decision was not taken lightly and is attributed to the limitation of flight rights allocation to India. It’s important to note that Oman Air, the sultanate’s flag carrier, remains unaffected by these developments. The Indian sector is a popular destination among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, given the significant expatriate population residing in the region. While major Gulf carriers, including Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and Saudia, continue to operate daily flights to various Indian cities, India has been encouraging its domestic carriers to serve these popular routes.
The suspension of SalamAir’s India operations comes as a disappointment to Indian expatriates in Oman. Over the summer, airfares between Oman and India had surged following the cancellation of operations by India’s Go First airline, which used to operate several flights from Muscat to Indian destinations.
In March, India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia, shared India’s vision of utilizing its domestic carriers for long-haul routes and regaining control of Indian travel from foreign rivals. India is not looking to increase air traffic quotas with Gulf states but rather aims to have Indian carriers offer non-stop services on larger aircraft.
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