Oman Air held an “ultra-realistic and highly successful full-scale” emergency exercise in Muscat on Aug. 17, involving all the airline’s emergency facilities and teams.

The exercise was coordinated from Oman Air’s state-of-the-art emergency response center, tested every area of the airline’s operations and required participants to function in the capacities that would be expected of them in a real aircraft accident.

It also aimed to promote preparedness by rehearsing and testing Oman Air’s ERP (emergency response plan), conduct operational tests of facilities, equipment, IT hardware and software, and evaluate the internal and external mechanisms for delivering support to victims and their family members.

A coaster stood in for the affected aircraft and dozens of volunteers were recruited to play the role of passengers. After the simulated accident they were taken to various designated assistance centers, including a Family Assistance Center, where family members were also provided with appropriate information and humanitarian assistance.

Oman Air has invested significantly in emergency preparedness and this exercise was the latest in a series that have been carried out across the airline’s network.

As the national carrier of Oman prepares to expand its current fleet of 30 aircraft with the delivery later this year of the first of 20 new planes, its ability to deal effectively with a crisis, however unlikely, was seen by CEO Paul Gregorowitsch as a priority.

Gregorowitsch, together with all the senior managers at Oman Air, took part in the exercise, visiting all the emergency centres and guiding team members in efficiently carrying out their roles.

Oman Air has repeatedly stated that its primary and over-riding consideration is the safety and well-being of its staff and customers.

Further full-scale emergency exercises will be carried out in the future to ensure that the high standards achieved to date are maintained.