Oman Air has signed a letter of intent with Cargolux Airlines International to enable the freight specialist to use Oman Air’s facilities in Muscat, Salalah and Sohar.

The agreement includes the launch, on April 15, of Cargolux’s full freighter services from Luxembourg to India via Oman, said a statement.

The formal signing of the agreement will take place when the first Cargolux flight arrives in Muscat on April 16, it said.

The agreement signifies Oman Air’s latest step in expanding its cargo operations. It follows earlier initiatives by the national carrier of  Oman, which include the launch of pan-GCC and pan-European trucking services, and a joint cargo service with DHL between Oman and Dubai.

Cargolux intends to increase the number of services it operates to Oman during this year to several flights per week, with onward connections to multiple Indian cities, including Chennai, Bombay and Hyderabad.

The additional services to cities in India are being considered and connections to China, Europe, Africa and the United States are also planned.

In addition, Oman Air will provide Cargolux with access to the freight capacity of its passenger fleet, which flies to 11 destinations in India and three in Pakistan, as well as to destinations in Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

This will give the Luxembourg–based carrier the opportunity to feed consolidated freight to Oman from a number of larger markets.

Paul Gregorowitsch, chief executive officer of Oman Air, said: “Oman Air has extensive and long-term experience of operating flights to numerous destinations across the Indian sub-continent and East Africa.

“Cargolux is a leader in carrying air freight and offers huge capacity. This agreement therefore represents an important strategic partnership that will give an important boost to the Sultanate of Oman’s standing as a major hub for the movement of freight between Europe, Asia and Africa.

“In addition, Oman’s natural harbours, positioned at the entrance to the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf, and its proximity to the sub-continent provide a major advantage over its competitors in the region.” - TradeArabia News Service