Premium customers key to Oman Air’s growth plan
If you are looking for a higher percentage of premium passengers, then it is objective number one, said Oman Air CEO Paul Gregorowitsch
MUSCAT: Oman Air is planning to target premium customers as part of its growth plan for 2016.
By restructuring the newest air- craft in its fleet, the Boeing 787-800 (B787-8) Dreamliner, Oman Air is looking to increase profitability by bumping the number of businessclass seats from the standard 18 seats to 30 seats, as well as raising the load factor in the economy class to fill more seats.
“If you are looking for a higher percentage of premium passengers, then it is objective number one,” said Paul Gregorowitsch, Oman Air’s chief executive officer (CEO).
“At the end of the day, if you want to make your money, you have to use what you got. If we can increase the load factor of economy to 80 per cent, we will be nicely populated,” he explained.
Oman Air’s CEO made this statement during Oman Air’s global conference for airport services managers, where more than 50 airport managers from around the world participated, brainstormed and networked with their peers, at a workshop.
Awards will be given out during the second day, while the third day will involve Oman Air chalking out targets, plans and measures for the foreseeable future.
CEO Gregorowitsch highlighted the five challenges that the national airline will be facing in 2016, namely economic, tough financial targets, growing network, the 2016 summer schedule, as well as delivering on its promises.
The economy seems to be the foremost problem for Oman Air, with the airline being more focused on becoming less dependent on government support and creating new partners to fully make it a joint stock company.
“The economic challenge in Oman will force us to grow and stand on our own feet and have trust and confidence in our professionalism,” said Gregorowitsch.
When asked whether Oman Air would enter into a business alliance, Gregorowitsch said the airline would never consider that, but rather enter joint ventures with joint costs and a joint income.
He said, “I think the time for alliances is over”.
Joining an alliance would mean that Oman Air would have to lose its independence, spend millions of dollars to adhere to the alliance’s standards and compromise to harmonise their procedures and conform to changes within the alliance.