Air Shabelle eyes Salalah sector
TOURISM BOOST: Bosaso, a city in Somalia, will have connectivity from Salalah next month
Air Shabelle, a Bossasso-based airline, has explored Salalah sector and its Salalah-Bossasso operation and is likely to start anytime in the first week of March.
To start with there would be three flights per week from Salalah which is to be rescheduled in one-month time to have more flights from Muscat and some East African destinations.
Talking to Observer, Musallam Ahmed al Kathiri, General Manager Oman Operations of Air Shabelle, said most of the formalities with the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA), Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC) and Oman Air were in place and the flights from Salalah were ready to take off depending upon time slot given by the authorities concerned.
Al Kathiri is hopeful of good business potential on this sector because Air Shabelle would be the only flight from Salalah to Bossasso, while several daily flights are being operated from UAE to Bossasso.
“These operations from UAE are indicators of passenger and cargo potential to the East African destinations. As of now there is no direct flight from Salalah to Bossasso. We have taken up this challenge and are hopeful of becoming successful operators,” he said.
The whole idea, according to Al Kathiri, is to make Salalah and Oman a hub between the East African and Middle Eastern countries.
Emad Yusuf Hasan Darwish, Chairman Oman Operations of Air Shabelle, said the sector looks promising due to very short distance between Salalah and Bossasso that is the best suited for people working in Salalah and its adjoining areas to travel and movement of fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs).
“The distance is as short as 435 miles, which can be covered only in 46 minutes,” he said.
“The B737-400 flight with 158 passenger capacity would be ideal for travel and cargo movement, as each flight would have seven tonnes cargo capacity and travellers would be given good free baggage options. For Economy Class there would be option of 40kg luggage and 7kg hand baggage, while for Business Class there would be option of 50kg luggage and 7kg hand baggage,” said Darwish.
The airline is planning some schedule changes one-month after the launch of Salalah operations to accommodate more flights from Muscat to Bossasso, Mogadishu and Hargeysa.
Meanwhile, Air Shabelle, sources confirmed launch of domestic and international passenger flight utilising B737-400. “The service would be based on strategic alliance with major airlines in the Middle East, as this alliance will enable Air Shabelle to have an access to more than 13 aircraft including B737, A320 and long range B767.”
Such a strong alliance will enable Air Shabelle to provide a safe, competitive, comfortable air travel to general public in Somalia as well as East Africa. “Air Shabelle looks to satisfy the travellers’ needs and to provide a service which exceed the customer satisfaction,” said the source.
The prospective route networks include Mogadishu, Bossasso and Hargeysa. Internationally it aims to explore Sharjah, Jeddah, Doha, Salalah and Dubai.