The first five months of 2012 brought unprecedented growth to Oman Air. In addition to reporting double-digit increases in its passenger operations, the Middle Eastern carrier saw cargo revenue and tonnage surge 47 percent and 33 percent, year-over-year, respectfully.
Oman Air CEO Wayne Pearce spoke out about the carrier’s performance, starting that “Oman Air has generated greater revenues, carried more passengers and transported more cargo between January [2012] and May 2012 than at any equivalent time in the airline’s history.”
That’s not to say Oman Air’s 2011 numbers weren’t noteworthy, Pearce said. The Omani flag carrier reported a 28 percent, year-over-year, increase in cargo revenue in 2011, with airfreight tonnage rising 3 percent from 2010.
From a passenger perspective, the carrier’s January-to-May statistics were largely on par with its 2011 numbers. Net passenger revenue increased 28 percent, year-over-year, in the first five months of 2012, the exact figure reported in the full-year period of 2011. Oman Air’s January-to-May passenger volumes slightly outpaced those seen last year, however, growing 19 percent, year-over-year; 2011 saw 16-percent, year-over-year, growth, according to a press release.
Oman Air expects to post even more growth in 2012 with the launch of a new route between Muscat and Tehran on September 1 and the delivery of two Embraer E175 regional aircraft. The carrier also has six Boeing 737s on order, with two slated for delivery in 2014 and four expected to arrive in 2015. These aircraft will complement the six 787 Dreamliners Boeing will begin handing over to Oman Air in 2015.
In addition to fleet expansion, Oman Air is also focused on staff development — a fact evidenced by the International Air Transport Association’s recent recognition of the Oman Air Training Centre. The carrier’s facility — which offers a range of accreditation courses endorsed by the Oman Civil Aviation Authority, IATA, Swiss Air and Lufthansa — appeared on IATA’s list of the top 10 authorized training centers in the Middle East for the second consecutive year.
Pearce said this recognition “confirms the high standards of our training and staff development.” He also remarked that Oman Air looks “forward to consolidating our role as a global leader in aviation training and to promoting business excellence, not just within Oman, but in the entire region.
