
Oman Air reports record surge in passenger numbers
Of the total passengers carried, 58% were inbound travelers arriving directly in the Sultanate of Oman—highlighting the growing appeal of the country as a travel destination.
Mike Rutter, Chief Commercial Officer at Oman Air, attributed the milestone to the airline's strategic focus on route optimization and targeted marketing initiatives. He noted that this approach not only improves financial performance but also supports the sustainable expansion of the airline's network.
Rutter affirmed that Oman Air remains committed to simplifying and enriching the travel experience for visitors, reinforcing its role as a key enabler of the Sultanate's tourism growth.
As part of its expansion strategy, Oman Air is investing in both fleet modernization and route development. Recent developments include the launch of direct flights to Amsterdam, opening new access to the European market, and the resumption of twice-daily flights to London starting October.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Observer
7 hours ago
- Observer
European Union resigned to a 15 percent US tariff
Turnberry - The United States and the European Union clinched a trade agreement on Sunday that will see EU exports taxed at 15 percent, in a bid to resolve a transatlantic tariff stand-off that threatened to explode into a full-blown trade war. US President Donald Trump emerged from a high-stakes meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at his golf resort in Scotland, describing the deal as the "biggest-ever". The deal, which the leaders reached after an hour of talks, came as the clock ticked down on an August 1 deadline to avoid a 30 percent across-the-board US levy on European goods. "We've reached a deal. It's a good deal for everybody. This is probably the biggest deal ever reached in any capacity," said Trump. Trump said a baseline tariff of 15 percent would apply across the board, including for Europe's crucial automobile sector, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors. As part of the deal, Trump said the 27-nation EU bloc had agreed to purchase "$750 billion worth of energy" from the United States, as well as make $600 billion in additional investments. Von der Leyen said the "significant" purchases of US liquefied natural gas, oil, and nuclear fuels would come over three years, as part of the bloc's bid to diversify away from Russian sources. Negotiating on behalf of the EU's 27 countries, von der Leyen had been pushing hard to salvage a trading relationship worth an annual $1.9 trillion in goods and services. "It's a good deal," the EU chief told reporters. "It will bring stability. It will bring predictability. That's very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic," she said. She added that bilateral tariff exemptions had been agreed on several "strategic products", notably aircraft, certain chemicals, some agricultural products, and critical raw materials. Von der Leyen said the EU still hopes to secure further so-called "zero-for-zero" agreements, notably for alcohol, which she hopes will be "sorted out" in the coming days. Trump also said EU countries -- which recently pledged to ramp up their defence spending within NATO -- would be purchasing "hundreds of billions of dollars worth of military equipment." - 'Best we could get' - The EU has been hit by multiple waves of tariffs since Trump reclaimed the White House. It is currently subject to a 25-percent levy on cars, 50 percent on steel and aluminium, and an across-the-board tariff of 10 percent, which Washington threatened to hike to 30 percent in a no-deal scenario. The bloc had been pushing hard for tariff carve-outs for critical industries from aircraft to spirits, and its auto industry, crucial for France and Germany, is already reeling from the levies imposed so far. "Fifteen percent is not to be underestimated, but it is the best we could get," acknowledged von der Leyen. Any deal will need to be approved by EU member states -- whose ambassadors, on a visit to Greenland, were updated by the commission Sunday morning. They were set to meet again after the deal struck in Scotland. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz rapidly hailed the deal, saying it avoided "needless escalation in transatlantic trade relations". But German exporters were less enthusiastic. The powerful BDI federation of industrial groups said the accord would have "considerable negative repercussions," while the country's VCI chemical trade association said the accord left rates "too high". Ireland, one of the EU's top exporters to the United States, said Sunday it welcomed the deal for bringing "a measure of much-needed certainty", but that it "regrets" the baseline tariff, in a statement by its Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. France's minister for Europe, Benjamin Haddad, wrote on X on Monday that the agreement would provide "temporary stability... but it is unbalanced". The EU had pushed for a compromise on steel that could allow a certain quota into the United States before tariffs would apply. Trump appeared to rule that out, saying steel was "staying the way it is", but the EU chief insisted later that "tariffs will be cut and a quota system will be put in place" for steel. - 'The big one' - While 15 percent is much higher than pre-existing US tariffs on European goods, which average around 4.8 percent, it mirrors the status quo, with companies currently facing an additional flat rate of 10 percent. Had the talks failed, EU states had greenlit counter tariffs on $109 billion (93 billion euros) of US goods, including aircraft and cars, to take effect in stages from August 7. Trump has embarked on a campaign to reshape US trade with the world, and has vowed to hit dozens of countries with punitive tariffs if they do not reach a pact with Washington by August 1. Asked what the next deal would be, Trump replied: "This was the big one. This is the biggest of them all."


Times of Oman
12 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Trump announces "biggest" trade deal with EU; to see 15 pc tariffs across the board
Turnberry (Scotland): US President Donald Trump on Sunday (local time) announced that Washington and the European Union have reached an agreement on the trade deal, finalising at a uniform 15 per cent tariff on all goods across the board and purchases of massive energy and military equipment and unprecedented investment commitments by the EU to its Atlantic partner. Describing the agreement as the "biggest deal ever," Trump, during a discussion with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as broadcasted by Fox News, hailed the agreement as a "giant deal with lots of countries," noting von der Leyen's representation of the 27-nation European Union. He stated that the EU has agreed to purchase USD 750 billion worth of energy from the US and to invest an additional USD 600 billion, more than its current investment. "This was probably the biggest deal ever reached in any capacity, trade or beyond trade. It is a giant deal with lots of countries because, as you know, Ursula represents a lot of countries, not just one. The European Union is going to agree to purchase from the United States USD 750 billion worth of energy. They are also going to invest in the United States, USD 600 billion more than they already are. They are also agreeing to open up their countries to trade at zero tariffs. That is a very big factor--opening up all the countries to trade with the United States at zero tariffs," Trump stated. "They are agreeing to purchase a vast amount of military equipment. We don't know the exact number, but the good news is we make the best military equipment in the world. Until someone tops us, which won't happen, we are way ahead of every other country in terms of military technology. And we are agreeing on a straight 15 per cent tariff across the board for automobiles and everything else. I think that basically concludes the deal. Those are the main factors," he added. Trump, who is currently in Scotland for a work visit, also noted that the deal will take effect from August 1. Von der Leyen echoed Trump's enthusiasm, describing the agreement as a "huge deal" that ensures "stability and predictability" for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. "It's 15% tariffs across the board, all-inclusive. The investments President Trump just described will go to the United States. And the purchases on our side--yes, the European market is open," she stated. She acknowledged the "tough negotiation" but expressed satisfaction with the mutually beneficial outcome. "We have a deal. We have a trade deal between the two largest economies in the world. It's a big deal--a huge deal. It will bring stability and predictability, which is very important for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. It's 15% tariffs across the board, all-inclusive," the EU Chief noted. "The investments President Trump just described will go to the United States. And the purchases on our side--yes, the European market is open. That's 450 million people. It's a good deal, a huge deal. It was a tough negotiation. I knew it at the beginning--it was very tough. But we came to good conclusions for both sides," she added. The negotiations followed Trump's earlier announcement this month of a 30 per cent tariff on goods from the European Union, effective August 1. He announced in a letter to the European Commission President posted on Truth Social about the tariff decision, citing trade imbalances as key reasons.


Observer
4 days ago
- Observer
Oman Air sees growth in passengers from direct flights
Muscat - Oman Air has achieved an unprecedented increase of more than three times the number of passengers on direct flights, increasing from 75,000 passengers in June 2024 to 200,000 passengers in June 2025. Passengers arriving directly in the Sultanate of Oman accounted for 58 percent of Oman Air's total passenger traffic. Mike Rutter, Chief Commercial Officer, Oman Air, said that this growth reflects the success of the company's strategy to increase passenger numbers via direct flights through careful route planning and targeted marketing campaigns. He emphasized that this approach enhances the national carrier's financial performance and enables it to open new destinations on a sustainable basis. He said that Oman Air continues to focus on making travel to the Sultanate of Oman smoother and more attractive for tourists. He stressed that Oman Air is investing in expanding its network of destinations and modernizing its fleet, including the Amsterdam route, which opens new horizons for the European market, in addition to resuming double daily flights to London starting next October.