State-owned Oman Air will cancel flights to some South Asian cities as part of its ongoing transformation programme.

The move aims to improve the overall financial performance and strengthen its position in an ever-growing competitive market, the airline said in a statement.

Flights to Islamabad and Lahore in Pakistan, Colombo in Sri Lanka and Chittagong in Bangladesh will be cancelled.

However, the airline will add a new route to Sialkot in Pakistan and increase capacity to two current destinations in India – Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

In addition, three destinations will be operated on a seasonal basis. Flights will be operated to Trabzon in Turkey during the summer, while service will be launched to Zurich in Switzerland and Malé, the capital of Maldives, during winter.

Additionally, Oman Air has introduced measures to optimise its schedule, starting this summer. 

Flight times have been revised for several of its destinations, with emphasis on more favourable slots to maximise connection windows.

In August 2023, Oman Air said it would restructure to reduce ongoing losses and debt accumulation.

The plan includes four main pillars: financial sustainability, corporate governance, commercial aspects and human capital.

The airline’s board has approved the restructuring programme, state-run Oman News Agency reported, citing Said Hamoud Al Ma’awali, minister of transport, communications and information technology and chairman of Oman Air.

In September 2023, media reports said that Salam Air, an Oman-based low-cost airline, had cancelled all services to India from October 1.

Source: AGBI

--Agencies