Muscat: Oman Air and Oman Airports held a joint press conference to highlight key achievements from 2024 and outline strategic transformation plans aimed at sustainable growth and strengthening Oman's position as a regional aviation hub. The event saw participation from senior executives, including Con Korfiatis, CEO of Oman Air, and Hamood bin Musbah Al Alawi, Acting CEO of Oman Airports, along with representatives from government entities, media, and strategic partners.
According to Oman News Agency, Eng. Said Hamoud Al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, and Chairman of the two companies' boards of directors, emphasized the importance of strategic collaboration between Oman Airports and Oman Air to enhance service quality and Oman's competitiveness regionally and globally. He noted that the integrated vision between both companies reflects a national approach toward a prosperous and sustainable future for the aviation sector.
Oman Air, which began its transformation in 2023, marked several significant milestones in 2024 as it seeks financial sustainability. EBITDA improved by 51% compared to 2023, after audit. During 2024, Oman Air carried over 5.4 million passengers, with the number of available Seat Kilometers reported at around 19.4 billion. Point-to-point traffic increased to 40% of passengers, up from 27% in 2019, and the airline achieved a 92% On-Time Performance. Thirteen excess aircraft were sold to serve the optimized network.
The airline ranked second in the MENA region for On-Time Performance for 2024, as recorded by Cirium, and second in the world in December 2024, according to a report by OAG. It also earned a string of international awards, including Apex World Class, Best in Seat Comfort (Apex), and Best Airline Staff (Skytrax).
Meanwhile, in mid-2024, Oman Airports launched a comprehensive transformation strategy to improve efficiency and passenger experience through digital technologies, including self-service baggage drop systems, advanced crowd management solutions, a centralized digital dashboard, and system upgrades across airports. Despite facing legacy challenges such as high emergency maintenance costs and underutilized airport land, the company recorded significant milestones.
Oman Airports achieved 12.9 million passengers at Muscat International Airport, a 2% increase compared to 2023. Salalah Airport surpassed 2019 figures by 17.3%. The company reported RO 114.5 million in operational revenue, RO 142.6 million in total group revenue, and a net profit of RO 23.5 million, a 15% increase. It also reported the highest EBITDA since establishment, a 43% increase, and a 33% rise in shareholder equity.
As part of its commitment to empowering national talent and promoting workforce localization, Oman Airports employed 357 Omani nationals to replace expatriate roles across contracts managed by Oman Airports. It also offered 71 job opportunities to individuals and recruited 67 Omanis to operate and manage the parking facilities at Muscat International Airport, in line with the company's strategy to internalize essential services.
Both entities reaffirmed their shared commitment to sustainable growth, innovation, and strategic partnerships that strengthen Oman's global aviation standing.