Oman Air is to upgrade the aircraft used on the London-Muscat route and has revealed it will pay agents 9% commission.
New Airbus A330s will enter service on December 1, offering a three-class cabin with a 34-inch economy seat pitch – about three inches more than standard.
The new fleet will also offer wi-fi and live TV throughout the cabin (not pre-recorded programmes), and from January passengers will also be able to speak on mobile phones as well as send text messages.
Oman Air chief executive Peter Hill said the carrier wanted to offer an upmarket product in all classes, but remain a niche airline. It has only seven of the new long-haul aircraft on order. “We are definitely not talking Emirates or Etihad here,” he said.
He added that the airline would concentrate on selling Oman as a destination, rather than building Muscat, its capital, as a hub like Dubai: “Oman is a very different animal, we have a destination to sell that is unspoilt and it is a reflection of Arabian heritage, culture and way of life.”
Oman Air hopes agents will learn to offer Muscat as a twin-centre destination with the Maldives or Sri Lanka.
Oman flies daily from Heathrow, with economy return fares to Muscat starting at £393, business class at £1,332 and first class £3,155.