Oman Air, the national carrier of the sultanate, has added another exotic destination to its expanding network -  Athens, the capital of Greece. The airline said this was first of its several new routes to be launched in 2019.

The daily flight to and from Athens will be operated with the new-state-of-the-art Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, said a statement from Oman Air.

Oman Air flight WY 191 will depart Muscat at 2.45pm and reach Athens at 7.50pm, while on return it will take off from Athens airport at 12.20am and land in Muscat at 6.35am. The flight duration is approximately five hours, it added.

Outlining its 2019 plans, CEO Engineer Abdul Aziz Al Raisi said: "We are extremely proud and happy to add Athens to our rapidly growing network, as the first of several new routes to be launched in 2019. Oman has strong bilateral relations with Greece and the introduction of this new flight will certainly help strengthen relations even further."

"The new route will also enable Oman Air’s guests to explore a remarkable city with an ancient civilization, steeped in history and amazing landscapes," he stated.

Lauding the Oman Air move, Athens Airport CEO Dr Yiannis Paraschis said: "This significant network addition is great news for travellers on both ends of the route, offering them the possibility to discover Athens and Muscat, two historic and exciting destinations."

"Furthermore, it is also an important development that enhances Athens connectivity towards strategic markets beyond Muscat. We wish all the best to Oman Air and are committed to supporting our new airline partner towards a highly successful presence in the Athens market," noted Paraschis.

Oman Air is currently undergoing an exciting fleet and network expansion programme, which will see the airline operate up to 70 aircraft to around 60 destinations by 2022.

"The airline is committed to consistently providing its guests with an award winning product, coupled with their legendary hospitality and seamless service," remarked Al Raisi.

The national carrier's fleet comprises four Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 Dreamliners, six Airbus 330-300s, four Airbus 330-200s, five Boeing 737-900s, 21 Boeing 737-800s, four Embraer 175s and three 737 Max.

By the end of this year, Oman Air will have five more Max aircraft and three 787-9s thus taking its total fleet size to 51 aircraft, he added.-TradeArabia News Service