A newly formed Omani commercial charter company, Muscat Aviation Services (MAS), has launched operations with a Boeing 737-200.
The airline leased the 737 from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates-based Phoenix Aviation, and is operating a twice-weekly service between the southern Oman resort city of Salalah on the Indian Ocean and Dubai. Salalah is a major port city and is developing fast as an industrial and business centre.
Although there are already direct flights to Salalah from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi, these only operate during the Gulf's summer season. MAS intends to serve Salalah directly from Dubai year-round.
"Our next plan is to operate a commercial charter service from Muscat to Salalah, and to Mukalla in Yemen," says MAS chief executive Abdullah al-Maskari. He adds that the airline will lease aircraft in the short term, but "eventually, we will buy our own". MAS's plan is also to develop routes from the lower Gulf to destinations in the Caspian region.
Source: Flight International
