While the “big three” Gulf carriers are probably most well known, I’m also a big fan of Oman Air, based in Muscat. Not only is Oman a beautiful country, but their national airline has a top notch business class product that nicely integrates Omani hospitality into the experience. Given that the airline often has excellent business class fares, they’re a great way to fly between Europe and Asia.
Oman Air 787 business class
It’s also nice that Muscat Airport is significantly smaller than the airports in Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Dubai, since it makes transiting much easier.
For years they’ve been constructing a new terminal at Muscat Airport, given that the old terminal is a bit of a dump. Currently virtually all flights leave from remote stands, which leaves a bit to be desired in terms of the passenger experience.
Muscat Airport’s new terminal
For those of you planning on traveling through Muscat Airport soon, it’s worth noting that the new Muscat Airport terminal will be opening on March, 20, 2018. At that point all operations will be transferred from the old terminal to the new terminal.
It’s been decided that the commercial operation of the New Passengers Terminal Building In #MCT_airport will be on Tuesday,20th of March 2018,therefore all the incoming & outgoing flights will be allocated to the new airport. pic.twitter.com/hm6Ff0a1R9
— وزارة النقل والاتصالات وتقنية المعلومات (@mtcitoman) January 31, 2018
Per Business Traveller, Muscat Airport’s new terminal will be 345,000 square meters, have 45 boarding gates, 29 remote stands, and will have a capacity for 20 million passengers per year, with the potential for that to eventually be increased to 48 million passengers per year. Hopefully this means that a majority of flights will now leave from gates rather than remote stands.
I can’t wait to check out the new terminal, and especially to see what Oman Air’s new lounges are like. Oman Air already has quite a nice lounge in the old terminal, and I imagine the new one will be even nicer.
Oman Air Lounge Muscat
I think I’m going to wait until summer to visit Muscat Airport’s new terminal, once Oman Air’s new first class is in service.
Does anyone have plans to travel through Muscat Airport shortly after the new terminal opens?
Interesting comments: many thanks for them. I'll be in Muscat late December: am having a dickens of a job locating a map of the new airport: would appreciate any guidance from other travellers whom have found a map.
hmmm. flew through a couple of times now. lounge is open but only for Oman Air First and Business. :-( Plenty of nice 'public' lounges around the airport. Staff absolutely unprepared for their new jobs, bless them.
Any idea how to book these lounges when flying economy ? Any reviews by recent flyers?
Hello everyone. My wife and I transited through Muscat on the evening of 25th April and we were directed to the Prime Plus lounge, which Oman Air was using for both First Class and Business Class passengers. We were told that the new Oman Air lounges would be open the following day (26th) or the day after (27th). Yesterday, in reply to one of the man emails I have sent to Oman Air, I received...
Hello everyone. My wife and I transited through Muscat on the evening of 25th April and we were directed to the Prime Plus lounge, which Oman Air was using for both First Class and Business Class passengers. We were told that the new Oman Air lounges would be open the following day (26th) or the day after (27th). Yesterday, in reply to one of the man emails I have sent to Oman Air, I received the following:
"Thank you for your message. We note your feedback.
Oman Air is very happy to inform you that the First and Business Class lounges are now open at the New Passenger Terminal at the Muscat International Airport.
Please feel free to get in touch with us should you require any clarifications.
Please note that I have forwarded your message to Paul’s office coordinator."
(Paul Starrs is the new Chief Commercial Officer for Oman air.)
So, it looks like w will definitely be able to use the new lounge on our return through Muscat and I will make another report then.
I was there on March 27th. Did not have any service issues with the airport being new. Looked like a beautiful airport. Was hoping to see a lounge, but none were accessible via Priority Pass.
I flew out of MCT last weekend. Spoke to the J/F check-in supervisor. Lounge "should" be open in a couple of weeks / by next month. But....
PrimeClass Lounge Wifi requires you to enter a phone number and it then sends you a pin via sms. Don't like such a system.
When you enter the lounge, turn right and walk to the next section - after the smoking room. Much quieter, cooler, and they will...
I flew out of MCT last weekend. Spoke to the J/F check-in supervisor. Lounge "should" be open in a couple of weeks / by next month. But....
PrimeClass Lounge Wifi requires you to enter a phone number and it then sends you a pin via sms. Don't like such a system.
When you enter the lounge, turn right and walk to the next section - after the smoking room. Much quieter, cooler, and they will have (in the next weeks) a "healthy buffet section" there with smoothies and salads etc.
That section also has private rooms with showers and beds which can be rented (not yet operational).
Cinema and Kids game room will be equipped this week.
I've sent an email to Paul Starrs, the new Chief Commercial Officer of Oman Air, asking when the new lounges will be open but no reply yet. My wife and I will be transiting through the terminal on the 25th and I will post further comments then.
If you look on Oman airs website it shows a new image for a lounge. When you click the link you you're told you don't have authorisation.
http://www.omanair.com/uk/en/flying-us/business-class
Looks pretty good. Flying through MCT on the 29th and have a six hour layover so hopefully it'll be open.
hello lucky!
i was flying in on 22.04.2018 to muskat and out on 28.03.2018 and the new
business lounge was not open!!!!! they send you tp the premium lounge which
is absolutely no premium! nice staff but the rest is absolutely mediocre and of
top of it there is a bar but no liquours or wine and one staff told me that the
goverment did not grant a licence for that...
hello lucky!
i was flying in on 22.04.2018 to muskat and out on 28.03.2018 and the new
business lounge was not open!!!!! they send you tp the premium lounge which
is absolutely no premium! nice staff but the rest is absolutely mediocre and of
top of it there is a bar but no liquours or wine and one staff told me that the
goverment did not grant a licence for that yet!!!!!!!!! i was flying intentionally
on omanair business class on these dates and one major reason was to see
and test the new lounge! all in vain all for nothing!!!! they had years and so
many delays to be ready for the oppening!!!
t. k.
Lucky - I'm now totally confused. The Oman Air Call Centre told me that the two lounges were open but the reply to my email to Om,an Air Webbooking was:
"Greetings from Oman Air,
With regards to below [my question] the lounge is PRIME PLUS which belongs to TURKISH AIRLINES. You have to approach transfer desk on arrival for assistance.
Regards,
Webbooking Team-4HF"
@ John Stewart -- They're definitely not open yet. The call center was misinformed.
@John That's what they said to me....They told that the Business and First Class Lounges are now open....But there are no articles or images to support the statement...They told that it has been open since the day the airport was inaugurated...
Planning to fly on Oman Air May BC.
Please, inform us asap about any business lounge matters
Thanks
Hello again Lucky. Having had no reply to my emails, I telephoned Oman Air (its Call Centre) and was told that both the First Class Lounge and the Business Class Lounge are now open in the new terminal but I'm still skeptical. I'll find out for sure in three weeks time.
Thanks Lucky. Yes, old news. I have asked Oman Air as well. My wife and I will be transiting through Muscat later this month and again in early September. You would have thought that with a building schedule for the new terminal lasting several years, they would have completed the new lounges in time for the opening of the terminal.
@ John -- You'd think so, but sadly not the case. Please do report back on your experience with the new airport!
It looks like the two new lounges are open- see http://www.omanair.com/en/about-us/press-releases/oman-air-unveils-spectacular-new-first-class-and-business-class-lounges, which appears to be undated. My wife and I will be transiting through there in just over three weeks time but with only a two and a half hours to enjoy the new facilities.
@ John -- Unfortunately this refers to their "new" lounges at the old airport, and this is several years old. :( I emailed Oman Air's PR people, and they said that the new lounge isn't yet open, but rather they're sending people to the airport's contract lounge.
I will be traveling by Oman Air next month in their 787 Business Class.Any news on the lounge since I am having 15 HOURS of transit in Muscat.
It’s apparent that the airport has been opened to meet a deadline. Quite simply it’s infrastructure, and more importantly staff are wholly unprepared for operations.
I’ve flown through here 3 times in the last 2 days and each visit has been beset with problems.
One business lounge (Oman air) staffed by people who have no idea who can or can’t use it. Qatar airlines, one world emeralds or priority club members not welcome apparently.
My wife and I flew Colombo to Muscat on Oman Air last weekend and back again the following day - through the old terminal of course. A few days later we would have gone though the new terminal. However, we will be flying from Colombo to Frankfurt on Oman Air (very good business class fares) toward the end of next month and will be transiting through the new terminal. After flying in and out of...
My wife and I flew Colombo to Muscat on Oman Air last weekend and back again the following day - through the old terminal of course. A few days later we would have gone though the new terminal. However, we will be flying from Colombo to Frankfurt on Oman Air (very good business class fares) toward the end of next month and will be transiting through the new terminal. After flying in and out of the old terminal since 1985 I'm really looking forward to experiencing the new terminal.
Since I had an invitation to the British Airways First Class lounge I decided to skip the Terminal 5 dining options and instead eat in the lounge. Terminal 5 Dining OptionsThe British Airways lounge and departure gate are located at the South-East end of the terminal. As you head to the gate you’ll pass the Hub 51 restaurant and bar. Hub 51 Chicago O’HareBritish Airways Galleries First Lounge I’ve already written a detailed review of...
Since I had an invitation to the British Airways First Class lounge I decided to skip the Terminal 5 dining options and instead eat in the lounge. Terminal 5 Dining OptionsThe British Airways lounge and departure gate are located at the South-East end of the terminal. As you head to the gate you’ll pass the Hub 51 restaurant and bar. Hub 51 Chicago O’HareBritish Airways Galleries First Lounge I’ve already written a detailed review of this lounge as part of this trip report so I’m going to avoid doing so here. However, it’s worth noting that if you do get an invitation to this lounge, from status of when flying in a premium cabin (not Premium Economy), I’d skip it. Instead, I’d recommend either waiting in the Terminal 5 cafeteria or in one of the other Priority Pass lounges in the terminal. The lounge just isn’t that great. The only thing I enjoyed about the lounge was the somewhat fast WiFi. British Airways First Class Lounge Chicago O’Hare EntranceBesides the adequate internet, nothing about this lounge makes it worth visiting.
Hi, I will be travelling through Muscat on Oman a few times in April. Will the new terminal have an airside hotel (like the one at Doha) for staying during an extended transit wait? I went to Muscat a few times last month, on business class. The old lounge was fairly good. But nothing like the two-storey business class palace at Doha. The Oman business class seats are really spacious, especially on the 787-9.
Will be flying through on the 26th and again on the 3rd with a couple of days stopover. So will experience both transit on the way out and full checkin on the return. Very much looking forward to it and experiencing WY in J.
Just wait until algiers new international airport opens as it is stunning with its arab design.
The unfortunate aspect of it is that those chinese were involved in financing and building it just like so many major projects going on in Africa.
I'm flying from LHR through to KUL on the 21st March in business. Will report back!
did you really say you wanna go to Oman, during the SUMMER?
Speaking of new terminals, have you seen that there is a new terminal at Seoul's Incheon airport, serving Korean Air and sky team partners? Bet its a step up from the crowded existing terminal, and bet Korean Air has a much better lounge there!
Pretty pissed about this. I miss the new terminal by a mere couple of days ...
Singer in Oman? You truly travel in s cocoon.
Just finished airline run leaving Lhr at 745pm, landed at 7am and left at 9am. Super easy.
Old terminal was pretty bad.