Omani low-cost carrier SalamAir announced the addition of a new Airbus A321neo aircraft to its growing fleet, named "Bar Al Hikman" after the famous coastal destination in the Sultanate, known for its natural landscapes and environmental diversity and often dubbed the "Maldives of the Middle East".
Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khonji, Chairman of the company, said this is the 15th aircraft in SalamAir's fleet, a step that supports the goals of the Sultanate's aviation and tourism sectors and is in line with the company's plan to increase its fleet to 25 aircraft by 2028, contributing to the goals of Oman Vision 2040 and enhancing economic diversification.
Al Khonji noted that the current strategy focuses on opening new destinations, particularly unserved ones, with plans to base between two and three aircraft in Salalah to support balanced tourism development in Dhofar Governorate throughout the year and to provide new job opportunities.
For his part, Adrian Hamilton-Manns, CEO of SalamAir, said the new aircraft will contribute to opening new destinations and increasing operating capacity to high-demand destinations such as Salalah, as well as strengthening the company's network to Nairobi and to Saudi Arabia via Abha, the return of Beirut, the addition of destinations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia, and the launch of a new route to the Indonesian city of Medan.
Hamilton-Manns added that SalamAir has achieved remarkable growth in demand for domestic flights after introducing fares starting from 9.99 Omani rials in November 2024, and that with the strengthening of its fleet the company has become able to meet regional and global demand at more competitive prices. He noted that the addition of the new aircraft will provide more than 182 job opportunities, a 24% increase in employment.
SalamAir operates a fleet of 15 Airbus A320/A321 aircraft and runs more than 80 flights daily. It expects to carry more than 4 million passengers in 2025, an increase of 25% over 2024, after signing an order last February for 10 additional aircraft as part of its expansion plan through 2028.
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