Oman Air saw a 20 percent increase in staff numbers during 2008 and the workforce will continue to rise this year to cope with the company’s planned expansion, CEO Peter Hill has said.
The airline plans to add 27 percent extra capacity, 41 percent more flights and aims to carry 43 percent more passengers in 2009.
The carrier, which made a 42m riyal loss in 2008 compared to the 4m profit the previous year due to the increase in fuel price, is developing a master plan to provide for a new company headquarters plus training facilities including a flight simulator and cabin crew training centre.
The company is also planning to build new staff accommodation, recreational and social facilities, a clinic and welfare centre, provision of a new engineering facility, and a four bay aircraft hangar and associated workshops.
At the airline’s extraordinary general meeting Ahmed Bin Abdulnabi Macki, Minister of National Economy and chairman of Oman Air Board, announced that the capital of Oman Air has been raised to 300m riyals from 50m riyals.
“The step aims at enhancing the operational and technical potentials and capabilities of the company to enable it to provide world-class service to passengers,” Macki said.
Referring to the company’s 2008 loss, he added: “The loss also resulted from the expansion operations that included purchasing new planes, operating new international routes, raising the employees’ salaries and improving the support services for the planes in a bid to compete with other companies operating in the world travel market.
“While the falling oil prices will be a major relief for the airlines, the decline in top line revenues will more than offset the resultant savings,” he added, referring to the global slowdown in the aviation industry.
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