“Barr Al Hikman”. That’s what SalamAir has named its latest inductee, a brand-new Airbus A321neo. What does that name mean? It’s taken from the popular coastal area located in Oman, often tagged as the ‘Maldives of the Middle East’. With this aircraft, Oman’s low-cost carrier boosts its fleet size to fifteen jets.
SalamAir aims to operate a fleet of 25 aircraft by 2028. The budget-friendly airline seeks to support the realisation of Oman Vision 2040 by boosting tourism, thereby contributing to the Sultanate’s economic diversification.
Monhamed Bin Abdullah Al Khonji, the chairman of SalamAir, believes there’s a huge scope for growth in Oman’s aviation sector. In an official release, he said:
We firmly believe that Vision 2040 will be achieved through ambitious, forward-looking growth. For example, the United Arab Emirates operates more than 560 aircraft with a population of around 11 million, while Qatar operates about 230 aircraft with a population of around 3 million. By comparison, both Omani airlines combined operate no more than 46 aircraft with a population of around 5 million, which shows Oman’s substantial headroom for growth. By working together through codeshare and other forms of cooperation, seeking to complement rather than compete, both Omani airlines can be part of the growth story. With our 15th plane delivered, we are inaugurating a new phase in our growth journey.
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