Oman Air Restructures Network, Cuts Four Asia Routes

David Casey January 29, 2024

Oman Air is making changes to its network as part of plans to restructure the business and improve financial performance.

Oman Air announced plans to restructure last August with the aim of returning to profitability in the next four to five years and breakeven by 2026. The airline has for many years depended on financial support from the Omani government.

The carrier is now canceling flights from Muscat International Airport to four destinations in Asia, ending service to Chittagong in Bangladesh; Colombo in Sri Lanka; and Islamabad and Lahore in Pakistan. It also plans to reduce frequencies to “certain markets.”

Additionally, three routes will now be served seasonally, with flights to Trabzon, Turkey, operating during the summer months, and Male, Maldives, and Zurich, Switzerland, operating during the winter. However, a new route to Sialkot in Pakistan will be introduced alongside increased capacity to two cities in India, Lucknow and Thiruvananthapuram.

“Oman Air has also introduced measures to optimize its schedule, starting this summer,” the carrier said in a statement. “To better cater to the Omani market and serve key flows in and out of Oman, flight times have been revised for several of its destinations, with emphasis on more favorable slots to offer greater convenience for direct passengers and maximize connection windows.”

The airline added it was “continuously evaluating its strategy to adapt to changing market dynamics and identify additional opportunities.”

According to data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser, Oman Air provides daily flights to Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), Islamabad International Airport (ISB) and Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE), as well as flying 4X-weekly to Chittagong’s Shah Amanat International Airport (CGP).

All four routes will continue to be served once Oman Air ends flights, with SalamAir serving CMB; Biman Bangladesh Airlines, SalamAir and US-Bangla Airlines serving CGP; and Air Sial and Pakistan International Airlines serving both ISB and LHE.