Oman Air Targets Singapore Tourists as It Plans North Asia Expansion
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
MUSCAT, July 1 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - Oman Air is seeking to position Oman as a tourism destination for Asian travellers as it launches nonstop flights between Muscat and Singapore on Thursday.
The new service comes as the government-owned airline continues a transformation plan launched in early 2024, which has included route reductions, contract renegotiations, higher fleet utilization and workforce cuts.
Oman Air CEO Con Korfiatis said Singapore’s role as a major travel hub and the strength of outbound travel from the city-state created an opportunity for the airline.
The airline is targeting load factors in the mid-to-high 70% range in the first year of the Singapore route, with first-month bookings currently above that level.
The Muscat-Singapore service will operate four days a week using a Boeing 737 MAX. The flight will take about eight hours, making it one of the longest narrow-body routes in operation.
The Singapore launch follows Oman Air’s earlier unsuccessful attempt to serve the market through Kuala Lumpur, which ended nine years ago. Korfiatis said the new nonstop route is supported by a lower cost base and the airline’s membership in the oneworld alliance.
Oman Air is also looking at North Asia as part of its next phase of expansion, with China, Japan and South Korea seen as markets of strong interest.
Korfiatis said at least one new nonstop destination in North Asia is expected to be announced within 12 months, citing demand from travellers interested in nature-based and less conventional destinations.
The airline also benefited briefly from Oman’s open airspace during recent regional disruptions, as some passengers rerouted through the country. Load factors fell by around 8 to 10 percentage points at the height of the disruption but have since largely recovered, Korfiatis said.
