(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Oman Air on Sunday announced plans to launch flights to Goa in India and the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka from next year.
The announcement was made at a press conference addressed by Paul Gregorowitsch chief executive officer Oman Air and Abdulrahaman al Busaidy its chief operating officer.
'We will start flying to Manila (the Philippines) and Jakarta (Indonesia) by this December. In 2015 we will start flying to Goa and Dhaka as well. We plan to increase frequency to Europe the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia beginning in January' Busaidy said.
Oman Air currently possesses 31 aircraft and flies to 43 destinations. It plans to add 16 new aircraft to its existing fleet over the next one year.
'With further additions there should be 5 aircraft by 2017. We plan to have more code share agreements with other airlines and increase flights to Duqm Sohar and Salalah' Gregorowitsch said. The airline is also counting on completion of the expanded Muscat International Airport which has been delayed. 'The delay has affected us. [The airport's] very crowded' added Busaidy.
The expansion announced by Oman Air is part of the airline's ten-year plan developed with a consulting firm in 2013 and endorsed by the Omani government.
'The plan calls for increased investments that will put the airline on a path to become profitable' said Gregorowitsch.
'We are still investing. We are confident that with the growth plan we can be on our own.'
He likened investments in the airline sector to other major government investments in the infrastructure sector such as roads and rail which are intended to benefit a future post-oil economy.
Gregorowitsch said that the airline is operating at 60 per cent Omanisation against a government target of 70 per cent.
'In a couple of years an Omani should sit in my position' he said. Oman Air contributes RO400mn a year to the country's economy. 'We believe in Oman and in the possibilities of Oman Air' he added.
Airline must make profit by 2017 says CEO
Paul Gregorowitsch has said that Oman Air which is currently operating at an annual loss of RO100mn must become profitable within three years. 'If we haven't earned profits by 2017 we've failed' he said.
He said part of the loss is due to heavy investments in new aircraft. The expansion plan includes acquiring new aircraft launching new routes and increasing frequency of existing routes.
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