Qatar Airways has commenced services to Salalah, joining Muscat as the airline’s second destination in the Sultanate of Oman. Salalah becomes the Doha-based airline’s fifth new route of the year taking the carrier’s global reach to 127 destinations. With the Omani capital Muscat already served 31-times-a-week and the new four-a-week services to Salalah, Qatar Airways now flies a total of 35 services to the Sultanate each week. The latest destination also heralds the first of three new Middle East routes to be launched by the carrier over the next few weeks with two Iraqi cities joining the network.
Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Airways said the launch of Salalah flights demonstrated the strengthening relationship between the State of Qatar and the Sultanate. “We are extremely delighted to have added the highly popular leisure destination of Salalah to our international network and extend our award-winning service to the people of Salalah and the Dhofar region,” he said.
Fathi Al Shehab, Senior Vice President of GCC, Levant, Iran, Iraq & Indian Sub-Continent, Qatar Airways hosted a gathering of distinguished guests and local media at Salalah Airport ahead of the airline’s first departure flight to Doha. Chief Guest at the event representing the government of Oman was the deputy governor of Dhofar, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saif Al Mahrooqi.
Addressing guests, Al Shehab said it was a great honour for Qatar Airways to be so warmly welcomed to Salalah and thanked the government for its continued support for the airline. “The inauguration of this key route opens the way for an expansion of tourism to Dhofar and southern Oman that will bring more travellers from all over the world to experience the beauty of this spectacular region and indeed make business easier in this commercial hub of Southern Arabia,” he said.
Ali Abdul Khaliq Ibrahim, Country Manager Oman and Yemen, Qatar Airways added, “Qatar Airways has progressively developed its operations and business here in Oman and by working closely with our travel trade and corporate partners and of course our loyal customer base, we look forward to making our newest route a resounding success. Qatar Airways’ launch of flights to Salalah is good news for the travelling public from Oman who now have a greater choice and more flying options.”
General Manager of Salalah Airport, Salem Awad Al Yafaey joined Al Shehab in celebrating the airline’s arrival to the Omani city.
