LONDON – Oman Air, the proud flag carrier of Oman has officially inaugurated the much-awaited and highly anticipated route to Phuket, Thailand’s largest island and one of the most popular in South East Asia. This will be Oman Air’s second destination in Thailand apart from Bangkok, the Kingdom’s capital.
Celebrating the flight
To mark this special occasion, the airline decided to celebrate its inaugural flight at its First and Business Class check-in counter at its hub at Muscat Seeb International Airport. This took many excited guests on holiday to one of Thailand’s most sought-after destinations. On board Oman Air, guests can expect a luxurious service from Oman Air, with their award-winning fine dining, seats, in-flight entertainment, and comfortable seating.
The airline introduced four weekly direct flights from Muscat to Phuket. Oman Air launched a preliminary flight schedule of:
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The Tuesday flight from Muscat will depart at 09:40 and arrive in Phuket at 18:50. The Thursday flight from Muscat will depart at 22:50 and arrive in Phuket on Friday at 08:00. The first flight on Saturday will depart Muscat at 09:40 and arrive in Phuket at 18:50, while the second flight will depart at 22:50 and arrive on Sunday at 08:00.
Chief Commercial Officer of Oman Air, said, “As part of our network expansion programme, our new flights will address the huge demand for passenger travel between Muscat and Phuket, especially during the peak winter season.”
“With nature, culture and plenty of activities, Phuket is an ideal family destination and, just five hours away from Muscat, it offers a great option for a getaway. Meanwhile, we continue to stay attuned to our guest’s needs, connect them to destinations they want to go to, and elevate their travel experience.”
The Phuket Bandwagon
Many airlines in the Middle East have started to launch flights to the Thai island of Phuket. Before the pandemic, the Thai island witnessed multiple daily flights from Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways connecting hundred of thousand of passengers through the middle eastern super hubs.
During the midst of the pandemic in 2021, the flag carrier of Israel El Al Airlines launched her inaugural flight to Phuket under the ‘Phuket Sandbox’ programme with their 787s.
After that, another Omani Airline, a low-cost Salam Air, relaunched its Muscat-Phuket route in June, when the Kingdom announced its full re-opening of its borders.
The move was then followed by Oman Air, with the 737 MAX. The launching of Oman Air to Phuket shows how popular Phuket is becoming as a leading global destination, and we believe there are yet more airlines in the Middle East to fly to the Thai Island.
Saudia, Gulf Air and Kuwait Airlines are yet to fly to the island. Many more regional airlines, such as WizzAir Abu Dhabi, FlyAdeal and Arabia also have a high potential to start Phuket operations.
