Muscat: Oman Air and Oman Airports held a joint press conference at the InterContinental Hotel – Muscat, under the patronage of H.E. Eng. Saeed bin Hamoud Al Mawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and Chairman of both companies. The event highlighted key achievements from 2024 and outlined strategic transformation plans aimed at sustainable growth and strengthening Oman’s position as a regional aviation hub.

The event saw participation from senior executives, including Con Korfiatis, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Oman Air, and Hamood bin Musbah Al Alawi, Acting CEO of Oman Airports, along with representatives from government entities, media, and strategic partners.

In his opening remarks, H.E. Al Mawali emphasized the importance of strategic collaboration between Oman Airports and Oman Air to enhance service quality and Oman’s competitiveness regionally and globally. He noted that the integrated vision between both companies reflects a national approach toward a prosperous and sustainable future for the aviation sector.

Oman Air: Transformation and Financial Turnaround

Oman Air, which began its transformation in 2023, marked a number of significant milestones in 2024 as it seeks to achieve financial sustainability:

• EBITDA improved by 51%, compared to 2023 (after audit)
• During 2024, Oman Air carried over 5.4 million passengers, with the number of available Seat Kilometers (ASK) reported at around 19.4 billion. 
• Point-to-point traffic increased to 40% of passenger, up from 27% in 2019
• Achieved 92% On-Time Performance
• 13 excess aircraft sold to serve the optimised network  

Having undertaken a workforce rightsizing programme, the airline has successfully redeployed 74 Omani employees within the airline, while 87 have been offered roles across the broader aviation ecosystem. 293 have opted for severance packages ranging from 12-24 months, with the airline having invested around OMR 15 million in severance packages to provide those affected with financial security. Meanwhile, due to the reduction of its expatriate workforce by 487 to replace them with Omanis, the company has increased its Omanisation rate to 79.4%, compared to 74.8% in 2023 

The airline opened one new route – Rome – in 2024 – as well as increasing service to key destinations. Meanwhile, it continued to uphold its reputation as one of the world’s most reliable airlines, ranking second in the MENA region for On-Time Performance for 2024, as recorded by Cirium, and second in the world in December 2024, according to a report by OAG, as well as earning a string of international awards including Apex World Class, Best in Seat Comfort (Apex) and Best Airline Staff (Skytrax).

Oman Airports: Operational Efficiency and Digital Transformation

In mid-2024, Oman Airports launched a comprehensive transformation strategy to improve efficiency and passenger experience through cutting-edge digital technologies, including self-service baggage drop systems, advanced crowd management solutions, a centralized digital dashboard and system upgrades across airports. Despite facing legacy challenges such as high emergency maintenance costs and underutilized airport land, the company recorded significant milestones:

• 12.9  million passengers at Muscat International Airport (+2% vs. 2023)

• Salalah Airport surpassed 2019 figures by 17.3%
• 114.5 million OMR in operational revenue
• 142.6 million OMR in total group revenue
• 23.5 million OMR net profit (+15%)
• Highest EBITDA since establishment (+43%)
• A 33% increase in shareholder equity

As part of its unwavering commitment to empowering national talent and promoting workforce localization, Oman Airports has successfully employed 357 Omani nationals to replace expatriate roles across contracts managed by Oman Airports, spanning various educational and professional levels, and offered 71 job opportunities to individuals impacted by the restructuring of Oman Air, supporting workforce continuity within the aviation ecosystem.

Oman Airports also recruited 67 Omanis to operate and manage the parking facilities at Muscat International Airport, in line with the company’s strategy to internalize essential services, and absorbed 227 Omani employees following the exit of a ground handling service provider from the local market, reinforcing job stability and national workforce empowerment.

Joint Commitment to a Sustainable Future

Both entities reaffirmed their shared commitment to sustainable growth, innovation, and strategic partnerships that strengthen Oman’s global aviation standing. The press conference concluded with a Q&A session, where executives addressed media queries, underlining their alignment with Oman Vision 2040 and continued efforts to support the Sultanate’s logistics and transport goals.