MUSCAT: Amid speculation on social media, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology En Said Bin Hamoud Al Marwari said there is no merger between Oman Air and Salam Air, adding that what is being discussed is a government-led takeover and acquisition, not an operational merger.
In an exclusive interview with the Observer, Al Marwari made a clear distinction between a “merger” and an “acquisition” and said the deal being considered would be a takeover by the government, not Oman Air. He said further details would be announced “soon.”
Separately, the minister said the issue that had been driving up aviation fuel costs at Salalah airport had been resolved after lengthy consultations that concluded about two weeks ago. The issue dates back to a tender launched by Oman Airports to operate aviation fuel services at Salalah and other airports.
Al Marwari said costs are inflated by a complex supply chain that involves multiple transportation and handling steps. The fuel is sourced from the Sohar refinery, transported to storage at the Port of Salalah, and then transported by truck to tanks at the airport before being pumped into the aircraft, adding to transportation, storage and handling costs.
He argued that instead of treating each location individually, pricing could have been done across the airport contract, with the reduction in traffic at Salalah offset by discounts associated with busier airports such as Muscat International Airport.
Regional aircraft planning and new routes
Regarding network development, Al Marwari said work is underway to deploy small regional aircraft to revitalize underserved domestic destinations, namely Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Masirah, Khasab and Suhar.
He added that the connectivity plan also includes expanding regional links from certain airports, including direct flights from Salalah to Saudi Arabia, with the possibility of expanding to Somalia and Yemen in the future. He said the goal is to connect Suhar to Taif and Al Ahsa, as well as Shiraz, Bandar Abbas and Gwadar.
The remarks came as Oman seeks to reduce the cost of operating air services while improving intergovernmental and interregional air links to support tourism and business travel.
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