H E Sayyid Hamoud officially inaugurates Duqm Airport
Oman Air currently flies once a day to and from Muscat but officials confirmed more flights will operate from the airport soon
H E Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal al Busaidi, Minister of Interior, officially declared the Duqm Airport open on Monday.
Several dignitaries, ministry and embassy officials too attended the event.
H E Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Salim al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications, hailed this as a significant development in the country’s aviation sector.
“The airport, without any doubt, will enhance the aviation sector as it has the capacity to accommodate the growing number of passengers flying in the area with some significant projects intended to promote economic, social and tourism development.”
The airport will also boost local business, H E Dr Futaisi said. At present, only Oman Air flies once a day to and from Muscat (except for Friday) but officials confirmed some international flights will soon operate from the airport.
Reggy Vermeulen, chief executive officer, Port of Duqm, said, “The opening of the new airport is a crucial stage in the development of the Special Economic Zone in Duqm.
“It will also give access to more passengers both locally and internationally. It shall also increase the potential of bringing cargo into the area.”
Another official from the Port of Duqm said that many private jets come to the airport and a majority of the passengers fly for
business purposes but the place also sees many tourists.
“Duqm is a hub of businesses and it is growing every single day. There are five check-in counters with ten persons working in
shifts at the airport currently,” the official said.
The airport occupies a total area of 27,386sq m and has an estimated capacity of half a million passengers a year with the
potential to expand to increase it to 2mn a year. The airport includes a passenger building on an area of 9,614sq m.
Flight operations at the airport began in September 2018.