MUSCAT: Oman and Bangladesh have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to increase weekly flights between the two countries. As per the agreement, 56 passenger flights and 21 air cargo flights per week can be operated between the two countries.
Currently, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Regent Airlines, SalamAir and US Bangala Airlines operate flights to Bangladesh from Muscat to Chittagong, Dhaka, Sylhet. It may be noted that the number of Bangladesh expatriate workers in Oman is 638,059 at the end of October this year.
During the same period, there were 22,578 flight arrivals and 24, 299 flight departures from Muscat to Bangladesh.
The pact was reached at the recently held International Civil Aviation Organization Air Services Negotiation conference in Jordan. Oman, which was represented by the Public Authority of Civil Aviation (PACA), participated in Conference and also had agreements with Paraguay, Jamaica, and Namibia, Dominican Republic, Sierra Leone, and Zambia.
These agreements allow any number of trips between the Sultanate and those countries through any intermediate points and points beyond the Sultanate and those countries under the Open Skies policy.
It was revealed that Sultanate has air transport agreements with 110 countries of the world, which will benefit both Oman Air and SalamAir. “It will also allow more international airlines to operate in Oman and create a competitive market for air transport between the Sultanate and those countries and provides more travel options for travellers,” the PACA officials said.
Meanwhile, both the national airlines, Oman Air and SalamAir, are hoping for an increase in weekly seats between India and Oman from the current figure of over 26,000, which is a financially important market.
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