Oman: Sri Lankan flight was not denied permission to land
CAA says pilot only requested direct route due to fuel shortage, and request was granted
Muscat: Oman’s Civil Aviation Authority issued a clarification statement about UL504 (ALK504), a Sri Lankan flight from London Heathrow to Colombo in the wake of ‘fake news’ carried by a foreign news outlet the Sultanate had rejected a request for an emergency landing due to fuel shortage.
The CAA said that as per its records, no request for an emergency landing from the aforementioned aircraft was made.
The records showed the first contact with the Muscat Air Control Centre with the pilot of the Sri Lankan plane (on July 6, 2021) was before the plane entered the Sultanate’s airspace, requesting the authorities to only give a direct route due to fuel shortage on the plane. The request was granted immediately by the Omani authorities. Sri Lankan Airlines also confirmed, according to Oman's CAA, that the ‘news’ being circulated was false.
Oman’s CAA reiterated that it will spare no effort in responding quickly to any emergency, to safeguard the lives of passengers and in compliance with international conventions and charters.