Oman’s low-cost airline SalamAir will start flights from Muscat to Erbil in Iraq on Oct 25 and to Damascus in Syria on Oct 28, the airline said at a ceremony at Muscat International Airport.

The Muscat-Erbil service will operate twice a week, according to a SalamAir press release. Erbil will be its second destination in Iraq, after Baghdad.

The airline said it will be the first Omani carrier to fly the Muscat-Damascus route, which starts on Oct 28. The release did not give the weekly frequency for Damascus.

The ceremony was held under the patronage of Khamis bin Mohammed Al Shamakhi, Undersecretary of Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology, and Chairman of SalamAir. Attendees included Dr Razzaq Salman Mashkoor, Deputy Head of the Iraqi Diplomatic Mission, and Khalid Al Ayoubi, Chargé d’Affaires at the Syrian Embassy in Oman, as well as representatives of Oman Airports, the release said.

SalamAir Chief Executive Officer Yaqoob bin Saif bin Hamoud Al Kiyumi said the two routes are the airline’s seventh and eighth new destinations this year, expanding its network to more than 46 destinations. He said the airline’s fleet has grown to 18 aircraft. He described the aim as “connecting Oman with underserved markets” and offering accessible travel choices.

Haitham bin Nasser bin Said Al Tai, Acting CEO of Oman Airports, said the new services would expand the airport’s network and provide travellers with “greater choice.” He said Oman Airports looks forward to building on its partnership with SalamAir to support growth in air traffic and strengthen Muscat International Airport as a regional gateway.

SalamAir said the services support Oman Vision 2040 and the National Aviation Strategy 2040. Flights can be booked on SalamAir.com and the airline’s mobile app.

Source: PR