OmanAir returns to the Russian market

The first flight from the Omani capital Muscat to Moscow since the pandemic took off from the airport, it is scheduled to arrive in Russia and fly back with tourists this evening.
Oman Air will fly to Sheremetyevo and back on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and from December 26, flights will be added on Mondays. They are operated on A330-300 aircraft with a 230-seat layout: 204 in economy class and 26 in business.
The schedule provides for a late evening departure from Moscow and an early morning arrival in Muscat the following day. The return flight departs from the capital of Oman in the afternoon and arrives at Sheremetyevo Airport in the evening.
Ticket prices average from a thousand euros round trip, there are several fare options.
“The minimum cost of a Moscow-Muscat-Moscow flight when sales opened in November was about 40 thousand rubles round trip,” Alexander Korolev, head of the Oman Air representative office in Russia, told RIA Novosti. “But the demand was so great that the quota was quickly sold out.” Now, according to him, the cost is available from 60 thousand rubles and not for all flights. There are no such rates for the New Year dates. “Tickets are selling well. In two weeks, we have half filled all our flights until the end of January,” explains the carrier’s representative. “People have been very active in resuming flights. They fly to Muscat and through it to Thailand, Sri Lanka, Zanzibar (Tanzania), and other countries.” According to him, there are still round trip tickets for certain dates in late January – February costing from 80 thousand rubles to Bangkok and from 61 thousand to Phuket. Companies offer trips to Oman on these flights, but, according to Alexander Korolev, no one has any blocks of seats yet. “We are currently in the final stretch of signing an agreement with a major Russian tour operator,” he says. “For now, companies are using open rates; when we reach an agreement, the conditions and the share of airfare in the tour price will be attractive.”

The companies expect that Oman will be in demand, despite the fact that it is not a mass or budget destination. “On July 15, we held a meeting in Moscow with representatives of major Russian tour operators – ITM, PAKS, Intourist, Panteon, Resort Holiday, China Travel, Spectrum and others,” recalls Dmitry Kalistrov, CEO of Old Oman. – Also at the meeting was the head of the Oman Air representative office in Russia, Alexander Korolev, and the deputy ambassador of Oman to Russia, Mr. Khalid Al Ayrami. The issues of resuming direct flights were discussed.” According to the development manager of OldOman, Elizaveta Ogurtsova, Oman Air flew to Moscow before the coronavirus, there was a flow. “We also have quite a lot of tourists from Russia, a lot of orders for the New Year holidays,” the expert adds.
“Tours with Oman Air transportation are available in the Intourist booking system. Now, for a vacation on the Indian Ocean coast in Oman, it will be convenient to get there by direct flights Moscow – Muscat, – the company says. – Oman attracts primarily with its diverse nature, there are dunes and green fjords, the country is very rich in natural resources.”
Earlier, experts told RIA Novosti about how the Sultanate differs from other countries of the Persian Gulf, the features of recreation and unique attractions of Oman.