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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Muscat Airport, Modern College forge partnership for new airport operation

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MUSCAT, FEB 17 - As Muscat International Airport is preparing for the opening of its new operations on March 20, officials have turned to academic partnership tapping the skills and know-how of a major educational institution in the country. Over 120 graduates and current students of Modern College of Business and Science (MCBS) are currently taking part, at the request of Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC), Oman Air and Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA), in the Operation Readiness and Transfer (ORAT) as the Ministry of Transport and Communications starts the countdown of transferring from the existing airport to the new one.


The new Terminal Building will handle 12 million passengers per year, which is a third more than the current capacity at the existing airport.


By 2025, Muscat International Airport would double the number of passengers to 24 million and the third phase in 2030 to 36 million.


The MCBS graduates and senior students are participating in areas such as safety, security, checking counters, customer services, passengers surveys, commercial services, airfield and terminal duties.


It is the only educational institution in the country to take part in large scale operations with the airport authorities.


In a recent speech to airport staff, Dr Mohammed al Zaabi said that the academia forms the major part of the future growth of the aviation industry in Oman. MCBS has already taking that role in the build-up to the future of Oman’s air transport industry.


The 580,000 square metres Muscat International Airport, is hoping to be in the 20 top airports in the world and a major hub in the GCC region by 2025.


It is hoping to receive 3 million tourists to the country by the end of 2020 doubling the current capacity.


“We are proud to be contributing positively to the new airport and to the ORAT program for the operations of Muscat International Airport.


We are the only institution in the country to have a degree programme in Airport and Aviation Management and our graduates are well placed for the new and exciting challenges as demanded by the air transport industry, not only in Oman but elsewhere,” Dr Ahmed al Naamani, the Dean of MCBS told Observer.


MCBS is the first private college in the country established more than 20 years ago in 1996.


From a humble beginning in its premises in Al Khuwair with just 5 graduates to about 200 graduates a year now. The College is the only higher education institution in Oman which offers Airport and Aviation management bachelor degrees, the programme that started in 2011.


Oman has a network of five airports. Besides Muscat and Salalah, other airports are in Suhar, Duqm and Ras al Hadd.


Saleh al Shaibany


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