Hofmann's recommendations

Qualitative upgrading

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Since March 20, the airport in Muscat, the capital of Oman, has had a new terminal that meets the latest standards. Connoisseur Circle aviation expert Kurt Hofmann took a look around.

Many travelers have already experienced the large terminals in Dubai or Doha, from Emirates or Qatar Airways
the big players in the airline business in the Middle East. Often long distances can cause stressful transfers. Not so in Muscat. The new terminal with its 29 gates - where aircraft can dock directly at the gate for the first time - has a manageable feel despite its modernity.

The new terminal is an absolute advantage for the country and the national airline.
And it was long overdue. The terminal meets our expectations. We at Oman Air are forecasting to carry 10.5 million passengers in Muscat in the future. The other airlines here combined might be five million, Oman Air CCO Paul Starrs told Connoisseur Circle in Muscat.

Starrs emphasizes that Oman Air's goal is actually to establish mainly point-to-point connections to Oman.
However, transfer traffic now accounts for 70% of the volume. Which was not actually planned at all. I therefore see it as the greatest challenge to further expand this point-to-point traffic and promote tourism. But we don't have the budget to promote Oman as intensively as is the case in other countries in the region.

But back to the terminal.
We are delighted with the new infrastructure. The new Oman Air lounge alone offers 409 seats, with 500 million Omani real having been invested in these premises. And during the on-site inspection, its capacity was pretty much fully utilized. A modern spa within the lounge is in the final stages of development.

Right next to the lounge is a four-star hotel with 90 rooms.
Investments have also been made in an arrivals lounge, which is open from early in the morning until 2 pm. A state-of-the-art baggage system with ten conveyor belts can transport 5,200 pieces of baggage per hour. State-of-the-art technology has been installed everywhere. Of the 96 check-in counters, 48 are for Oman Air. Separate areas for First and Business Class check-in are a matter of course. The minimum transfer time is one hour, but connections with a transfer time of 45 minutes are also available in the booking systems.