SalamAir, Oman’s first budget airline, has announced plans to increase its flights from Bangladeshi capital Dhaka to Muscat, from four times a week to six, to cope with the increasing market demand.

The increase follows the airline’s recent successful service launch between Dhaka and Muscat, reaching an average load factor of 95 per cent on flights. The increase in frequency will allow passengers from Bangladesh to conveniently connect to key destinations in the region including Jeddah, Dubai, Doha, Shiraz, and Salalah.

Captain Mohamed Ahmed, CEO of SalamAir, said: “Since launching the Dhaka-Muscat service in  July, we are witnessing month-by-month growth in the market. Therefore, we are responding to this strong demand by adding two more flights every week, offering both business and leisure travellers more flexibility and convenience when travelling to Oman or other key destinations of our network across the region.”

In recent years, Bangladesh's economy has experienced an average annual growth rate of more than 6 per cent. Against this background, the aviation demand at the international airport for the capital Dhaka has increased rapidly at an average pace approaching 10 per cent. The Dhaka International Airport handles nearly 70 per cent of all domestic and international flights in Bangladesh and plays an important role as infrastructure continues to support the rapidly growing economy.

Captain Mohamed added: “Close to three million Bangladeshis live and work within the Middle East, with half of them in Saudi Arabia, and a quarter of them each in Oman and the UAE. The two additional flights will provide SalamAir guests with additional travel options to connect to the destinations around the region.”

Today, the SalamAir network consists of 14 destinations including Muscat, Salalah, Suhar, Dubai, Doha, Jeddah, Karachi, Multan, Sialkot, Shiraz, Najaf, Kathmandu, Khartoum, and Dhaka. During the Farnborough International Airshow, SalamAir signed six additional Airbus A320neo aircraft.

All routes offer a choice of fare options. A cost-conscious menu of additional services is also available to guests, which includes extra luggage allowance, as well as seat and meal selection. - TradeArabia News Service