SalamAir, Oman’s first budget airline, marked a major milestone this month as it welcomed its one millionth passenger at Muscat International Airport, said a report.

The airline, which has completed 18 months of operation, held a surprise ceremony for its one millionth passenger. The passenger received a free ticket and a collection of SalamAir memorabilia, a report in Times of Oman said.

The airline has enjoyed a steady rise in passenger footfall powered by its expanding route network, competitive price offers, as well as a customer-centric loyalty programme to meet the increasing demand for affordable travel options around the region, a report in Times of Oman said.

“We are absolutely thrilled at how SalamAir has grown since we took to the skies 18 months ago,” the report cited Captain Mohamed Ahmed, CEO, as saying.

The most recent milestone follows a roaster of achievements, with expanding its network to 16 fantastic destinations being one of the key highlights in the airline’s short history.

It has also expanded its fleet by adding a brand new wholly owned Airbus A320neo arriving by the end of 2018, as well as five additional leased aircraft (of the same model) arriving by the beginning of 2019.

Owing to the increased demand for budget travel in Oman and the region, it was successful in breaking the one million passenger barrier ahead of schedule, which was originally planned for the end of 2018, the report said.