New electronic gate at airport
The company’s website adds: “Passengers can be dropped off at the curbside of the departures terminal. “For security reasons, vehicles dropping off passengers are only permitted to stay for up to three minutes and must not be left unattended for any reason. Vehicles remaining in the drop off area for longer than three minutes will be asked to move and may be towed away. All unattended vehicles will be towed away.”
OAMC also asked those who wish to pick people up at the airport to “check the flight status of incoming flight using our [flight information] before leaving for the airport,” in order to avoid delays.
OAMC did not respond to requests for comment on the new barrier. The cheapest parking period at Muscat Airport is in the short term car park, where a short stay of less than an hour will cost OMR1. That rises to long stay parking – where a 10-day park can cost the traveller up to OMR90.
One driver said: “If it helps to ease congestion outside the airport halls then it’s good. It’s always jam-packed and horns blaring there. If it means they only have one drive round then they have to park up and pay or leave the airport then that means less traffic just circling and waiting, so less chance of an accident and a more organised traffic management system.”
Maryam Balushi noticed the new electronic gate as she drove to the airport on Friday.
“I first noticed the traffic accumulating off the highway exit into the airport. There were more cars than I had ever seen, all waiting to pull up to the airport building. I didn’t think much of it, but later noticed the electronic gate which would prevent me from being able to circle around the parking lot, which I usually do.
“I luckily saw it in time and was able to pull into the parking lot. it was my first time paying to park for a pick-up. I think its a smart revenue move,” she said.
Mwasalat will, starting October, begin operating a taxi service from Muscat international airport, which they say will bring taxi fares at Muscat Airport down.