SalamAir eyes flights to Saudi, Pakistan, Sudan

By Vinod Nair — MUSCAT: Feb 28 - SalamAir introduced its first international destination, Dubai, with a double daily service to Dubai World Central (DWC) before moving to Dubai Airport (DXB) from March 26.  The airline said its future international destinations will include flights to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Sudan and India. The airline recently received its second A320 to its fleet, named ‘Fateh al Khair’ and will introduce the fourth daily flight to Salalah. Speaking to the Observer, François Bouteiller, CEO, SalamAir, said, the airline will see a gradual fleet expansion this year, but refused to specify on the exact number of aircraft that will be introduced. He said negotiations are under way with the concerned authorities to launch flights to Khartoum in Sudan. “Currently, overflying rates are expensive, but we are in talks with the authorities for a solution. On route to India, Bouteiller said it depends on the talks for bilateral rights between the two countries, but stressed that India is very much on the future plans for SalamAir. He added that the figures have been promising with a positive result of around 80 per cent load factor. Bouteiller said: “We are offering more flexible travel options for our guests, all within their budget. With the aim of improving the network’s connectivity, we will also be announcing multiple new destinations to and from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in the coming weeks with the arrival of additional aircraft.” With fares from Muscat to Dubai at RO 14.6, guests can now book their flights on the website and can choose between three easy fare options: Light, Friendly and Flexi. Delivering on its promise to offer value for money, SalamAir will provide the option of ‘through flights’ on the 5:35 am flight from Salalah to Dubai, meaning that guests can fly to Dubai without having to disembark in Muscat. The service includes a 50-minute stopover. An affordable menu of additional services is also available to guests, which includes extra luggage allowance, seat selection and priority check-in. “It has been an exciting start to the year with the introduction of our two destinations, Salalah and Dubai, which reinforces our commitment to strongly support and further trade and economic opportunities for Oman,” said Khalid al Yahmadi, Chairman, SalamAir. The response from our guests has been very positive which demonstrates our capabilities in offering a redefined travel experience that never compromises on quality, safety and security.”