Oman Air announced today that it will officially join the oneworld Alliance. The Muscat-based carrier is looking to strengthen its position in the Middle East with this membership.

Greater options

The announcement was made at IATA's 78th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS) in Doha, Qatar, today. The initiative will see Oman Air become a full member by 2024.

Oman Air CEO Eng Abdulaziz Al Raisi shared the following about the move in a statement:

“Oman Air's admittance into oneworld represents a defining moment in our journey to provide passengers with greater travel options through our developing partnerships and alliances. We're delighted to be joining the world's foremost airline alliance at a time when demand for travel is on the rise. We look forward to welcoming oneworld members onboard Oman Air to experience the height of Omani hospitality and all that the Sultanate of Oman has to offer in terms of history, culture and natural beauty.”

oneworld Oman Air
Oman Air and its Sindbad frequent flyer program will combine well with fellow Middle Eastern airlines Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian via the oneworld membership. Photo: oneworld

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Strong connections

Last September, Oman Air formally announced that it had ambitions to apply to join oneworld. The airline sought to use its partnership with Qatar Airways as leverage for the move. Notably, Qatar Airways’ group CEO Akbar Al Baker is also oneworld’s governing board chairman. Therefore, he was keen to share his excitement about Oman Air’s membership.

Al Baker stated:

“Today marks a new milestone in oneworld, as our friends at Oman Air become a member elect of our award-winning alliance. Passengers of Oman Air will be offered a seamless travel journey, connecting them to more than 900 destinations across 170 countries. As the Chairman of oneworld, we look forward to welcoming Oman Air into our alliance as they will bring great benefits, allowing passengers to discover not just a new member with an excellent reputation, but a beautiful country.”

Oman Air has served its nation since 1993 when it began as a regional carrier. Today, the airline serves around 50 local and international destinations with its diverse fleet of aircraft.

According to ch-aviation, the carrier holds the following planes:

  • A330-200 x 4
  • A330-300 x 6
  • Boeing 737 MAX 8 x 11
  • Boeing 737-800 x 15
  • Boeing 737-900(ER) x 5
  • Boeing 787-8 x 2
  • Boeing 787-9 x 7

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An exclusive club

By joining oneworld, Oman Air joins a host of global airlines that are well represented across their networks:

  • Alaska Airlines
  • American Airlines
  • British Airways
  • Cathay Pacific
  • Finnair
  • Iberia
  • Japan Airlines
  • Malaysia Airlines
  • Qantas
  • Qatar Airways
  • Royal Air Maroc
  • Royal Jordanian
  • S7 Airlines (suspended)
  • SriLankan Airlines

oneworld highlights that passengers can enjoy the benefits of several world-class airlines’ collective efforts via the alliance. Oman Air flies to five member airline hubs already in the form of Amman, Colombo, Doha, Kuala Lumpur, and London Heathrow. It also has codeshare agreements with four members - Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, and SriLankan Airlines.

Altogether, officially joining oneworld will allow for further codeshare prospects, which will expand opportunities for the airline and its passengers around the world.

What are your thoughts about Oman Air joining oneworld? What do you make of the airline’s overall plans? Let us know what you think of this initiative in the comment section.