MUSCAT: Omani budget carrier SalamAir launched operations on Monday, becoming the latest Gulf airline competing for the region’s low-cost travel market.
The airline said it began operations with a domestic flight from the southwestern city of Salalah to the capital Muscat.
In addition to the domestic market, SalamAir will fly to Makkah, Madinah, Dubai, and Karachi, chairman Khalid Al-Yahmadi told reporters.
The carrier is to operate a fleet of three leased Airbus A320 single-aisle planes.
Al-Yahmadi said SalamAir could clinch between 20 and 30 percent of the Omani aviation market, currently dominated by the national carrier, Oman Air. A number of no-frills carriers are based in the Gulf region. These include flynas in Saudi Arabia, flydubai, Air Arabia in Sharjah, and Jazeera Airways in Kuwait.
The airline said it began operations with a domestic flight from the southwestern city of Salalah to the capital Muscat.
In addition to the domestic market, SalamAir will fly to Makkah, Madinah, Dubai, and Karachi, chairman Khalid Al-Yahmadi told reporters.
The carrier is to operate a fleet of three leased Airbus A320 single-aisle planes.
Al-Yahmadi said SalamAir could clinch between 20 and 30 percent of the Omani aviation market, currently dominated by the national carrier, Oman Air. A number of no-frills carriers are based in the Gulf region. These include flynas in Saudi Arabia, flydubai, Air Arabia in Sharjah, and Jazeera Airways in Kuwait.
