This week saw CDB Aviation complete its delivery of five Boeing 737 MAXs to Oman Air as the Sultanate’s airline continues onward growth.
The aircraft, equipped with the CFM Leap 1B27 engines and configured with 12 business and 150 economy class seats, will support the carrier’s ever-expanding network.
Oman Air has been introducing routes throughout the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent, as well as several cities in Europe, South Asia, and Africa, in recent years and is focused on growing additional connectivity to North and South America and Australia.
Executive Comments…
Commenting on the finalization of delivery was Paul Boyle, CDB Aviation’s Head of EMEA:
“We are very pleased to build on our relationship with Oman Air and to expand our presence in the Middle East with this sale and leaseback transaction”.
“These new technological, fuel-efficient aircraft will support the airline’s ongoing recovery efforts, providing the airline’s passengers with greater connectivity and a wider choice of destinations from its hub in Muscat.”
Also commenting on this milestone was AbdulAziz Al Raisi, the CEO of Oman Air:
“As air travel demand continues to grow post-pandemic, Oman Air has the opportunity to expand progressively.”
“The latest addition to our fleet will serve both domestic and short-to-medium international sectors, further extending our seamless connectivity to a growing number of destinations”.
“We are glad to have CDB Aviation as our partner in growth and continue to place ourselves at the forefront of aviation technology, enhance our operational efficiency, as well as provide our guests with an exceptional on-board experience.”
Oman Air Is On The Rise Once Again…
Oman Air is once again on the rise and is getting close to operating the same number of flights as it did pre-COVID.
For February 26-March 5, the carrier operated 117 movements, based on a seven-day rolling average provided by flight tracking company RadarBox.com.
This represents a 125% increase compared to the same period last year when just 52 movements were handled.
Below is the last four weeks’ worth of data involving Oman Air:
| Date | 2019 Numbers | 2022 Numbers | 2023 Numbers |
| January 29-February 5 | 178 movements | 52 movements | 118 movements |
| February 5-12 | 187 movements | 55 movements | 118 movements |
| February 12-19 | 178 movements | 59 movements | 120 movements |
| February 19-26 | 175 movements | 57 movements | 120 movements |
What we can see from the data is a major improvement in the number of flights operated compared to last year, as well as edging closer to pre-pandemic levels.
Oman Air Is Nearly There…
It remains clear that Oman Air is nearly there in terms of pre-COVID operations, and the delivery of new aircraft will help assist the carrier in making that a reality, plus exceed previous numbers.
Looking ahead, it’s going to enable the national flag carrier to expand into other markets and therefore increase revenue streams and passenger numbers moving forward.
But for now, all eyes are on Oman Air to see where is next for the middle-eastern carrier.
