Oman to reopen to international flights in October

The sultanate closed its borders in March because of the coronavirus pandemic

An Omani family stands by the waterfront in the Mutrah area of the capital Muscat on November 16, 2018. (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP)

An Omani family by the waterfront in the Mutrah area of the capital Muscat. AFP

Sep 08, 2020

Oman is set to reopen to international flights on October 1.

The country's Supreme Committee said it would restart international flights to and from the sultanate next month in accordance with health data for specific destinations.

No further details of the reopening have been released, but it's likely that Oman will categorise destinations based on the scale of the coronavirus outbreak in each country.

After the announcement, Oman Airports issued a statement confirming that air traffic for international flights would resume in October. The airport authority recommended that passengers comply with any prevention measures that will be announced by the Ministry of Health and told travellers to check with their airline for updates before travelling.

#OmanAir is pleased to announce that scheduled international service will return on 1 October. We will continue to work closely with authorities and experts to ensure your safety and well-being at every stage of your journey. We look forward to welcoming you on board. pic.twitter.com/4IH9fv1qXW
— Oman Air (@omanair) September 7, 2020

Oman closed its borders to visitors in March in a bid to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

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Flights have remained open for citizens and residents, and anyone entering Oman must quarantine for 14 days, either at home or in a hotel. All foreign citizens arriving in the country must also have health insurance. In July, Oman Airports requested bids for the installation of PCR testing solutions, which could mean that travellers will be tested for the virus upon arrival.

Etihad Airways previously announced that it would begin flights to Muscat from Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, September 16, depending on government approval. It's likely that these will now commence on Thursday, October 1.

Emirates is not currently operating its route to Oman, but flights to Muscat can be booked on the Dubai airline's website from Thursday, October 1.

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