Muscat: Oman Air, the sultanate’s national carrier, resumed operations to Europe on Wednesday, enabling scores of stranded passengers, among them several tourists, to board flights back home.
Four flights were operated on Wednesday – two bound for London Heathrow and one each to Paris and Frankfurt, the carrier said in a statement. Airline officials however urged passengers to first reconfirm their bookings before heading to the main international airport in Muscat to catch their flights.
Welcoming the lifting of the airspace closure over Europe, Oman Air’s CEO Peter Hill said: “The reopening of airspace across Europe is great news for passengers and airlines alike and we look forward to resuming normal services to the UK, France and Germany. Inevitably, it will take a little time to get everything back to normal, but our staff are making every effort to ensure that our customers receive the best possible care and arrive at their destinations at the earliest opportunity.”
Oman Air said it had provided accommodation and hospitality over the last week for hundreds of customers who have been delayed in Muscat. In addition, support has been offered to many customers whose return to Muscat from London, Paris, Frankfurt and Munich had been delayed.
In addition to stranded passengers, the suspension of services also hit a number of businesses engaged in the import and export of fresh farm produce, seafood, flowers and other perishables. Several European universities also failed to show up at a key educational expo that began in Muscat on Tuesday.
