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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Low airfare on Muscat-Salalah sector over as fares shoot up

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SALALAH, Jan 22 - The luxury of having low airfare between Muscat and Salalah is over with the hike in fare by both Oman Air and Salam Air, the two airlines which are operating on this sector. The national carrier Oman Air has categorised the Economy Class airfare in nine heads in which the lowest one-way fare under category U is RO 30.300 and return comes at RO 56.900. There are eight more categories in the economy class like, L, N T, Q I, K, B, and M. Ticket prices for L and N are RO 33.300 (one way)/RO 61.900 (return) and RO 39.300 (one way)/ RO 71.900 respectively and they are non-refundable categories.


It means that the tickets purchased under these categories have to be purchased cautiously with a surety that one has to travel otherwise he will not get anything if he has change in mind about his travel plan.


The tickets from T to M are refundable with certain deductions, but their pricing is higher.


Following is the price break up for these categories: T- RO 44.400 (one way)/ RO 81.900 (return); Q –RO 52.300/ RO 96.900; I – RO 61.300/ RO 111.900; K –RO 69.300/ RO 126.900; B –RO 80.300/ RO 146.900; and M – RO 91.300/ 166.900.


Business Class in Oman Air has three categories: D, C and J. Category D has a price tag of RO 88.300 (one way)/RO 167.900 (return); C- RO 98.300/ RO 187.900; and J – RO 108.300/ RO 207.900.


The prices are all inclusive of taxes with a likely additional service charge of RO 2 from the travel booking agents.


According to a tour and travel agent, the Business Class fares are almost the same, but economy fares have shot up.


The budget airline Salam Air has also revised its prices. Its one-way cheapest price which was RO 16.300 has gone up to RO 18.300 or RO 21.300. The return fair has also been affected from RO 32.600 to RO 36.600 or RO 42.600.


Being a budget airline the fare in Salam air is decided on the basis of demand and supply and package selected by the traveller.


Commenting on hike in airfare, a tour operator in Salalah said airfare would really be high for those who are flying between Muscat and Salalah and to those sectors where Oman Air or Salam Air are not available as connecting flights from Muscat or there is no code sharing facility with other airlines.


“Then they have to pay for their Salalah-Muscat flight plus other flight from Muscat to respective destinations,” he said.


He also cited the situation of low-income workers, who had started availing cheap flight services from Salalah to Muscat to catch connecting flights for annual vacation etc.


“Certainly they cannot afford this price as they generally have heavy luggage. They will opt for buses to go to Muscat or other airlines like Qatar Airways, Air Arabia or Fly Dubai even if they have to wait for longer hours in transit.”


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