Oman’s SalamAir on Tuesday, September 1, launched direct flights between Muscat and Sylhet, becoming the first foreign airline to resume scheduled operations at Osmani International Airport in eight years.

The airline’s inaugural flight arrived in Sylhet from Muscat with 133 passengers before departing for the Omani capital carrying 223 passengers.

SalamAir initially plans to operate three weekly flights on the Muscat–Sylhet route. The airline intends to increase the frequency to five weekly flights next month and introduce daily operations from January next year.

The launch marks the return of regular foreign airline operations to Osmani International Airport, despite its status as an international gateway.

Dubai-based Flydubai was previously the first foreign airline to operate from the airport, launching services on April 1, 2015. However, it suspended its Sylhet flights in September 2018, after which no foreign airline operated regular international services from the airport.

SalamAir marked the launch with a ceremony at Osmani International Airport attended by airport officials, Oman's Deputy Ambassador to Bangladesh Fateha Ahmed Al Balushi, SalamAir Chief Commercial Officer Steven Allen and the airline's Bangladesh Managing Director M A Latif Shahriar Zahidi, among others.

The government has recently renewed efforts to attract foreign carriers to Sylhet. Air Arabia, Flydubai and several other international airlines are expected to begin direct operations from Osmani International Airport by December.