Muscat airport among fastest growing in ME

Muscat International Airport is leading in terms of passenger traffic growth in the Middle East, as per the statistics available for January from Airports International Council (ACI).

Muscat was leading over its rivals with a growth rate of 14.7 per cent, to be followed by Doha with 14 per cent and Dubai at 9.7 per cent, compared with the same period last year.

It is reported that over 48 airlines are flying from Muscat and Salalah airports to more than 69 destinations in 32 countries around the world.

Among the rankings for top airports in Asia (in the category for five to 15 million passengers per year), Muscat was placed at the second position below India’s Hyderabad airport with a growth rate of 26.2 per cent and followed by Osaka Itami airport with 2.6 per cent.

ACI expects international passenger traffic to double to 14 billion by 2029, and while it may be noted that the new Muscat airport, when complete, will be able to handle 20 million passengers per year against the current capacity of 12 million passengers.

Saeed Khamis al Zadjali of Oman Airport Management Committee (OAMC) recently, said, “We are moving to an airport which would be six times bigger than the current one. We will embark on major operations, considering our current growth rate 15 per cent.”