en.Wedoany.com Reported - Oman Air has launched five new routes within a week, covering markets in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Russia, and Central Asia. All routes are operated with Boeing 737 MAX series narrowbody aircraft, with the flight to Singapore having a block time of nearly eight hours. These new routes have been gradually put into operation this week, with the last one set to launch on July 9.

Among the new routes launched by Oman Air, two are regional routes in the Middle East. On July 3, the airline inaugurated flights from Salalah International Airport in southern Oman to Dubai International Airport, operating three times a week using the Boeing 737 MAX 8. Additionally, Oman Air will launch a daily flight from Muscat to Abu Dhabi on July 9, primarily operated by the Boeing 737 MAX 8, with occasional service by the 737-800.

Moving beyond the Middle East market, Oman Air has introduced three longer international routes. On July 2, the airline launched four weekly flights from Muscat to Singapore Changi Airport, with an eastbound block time of 7 hours and 50 minutes and a westbound return of 7 hours and 20 minutes, all operated by the Boeing 737 MAX 8. On the same day, the route to Sochi International Airport in southwestern Russia commenced operations, with a block time of 4 hours and 25 minutes from Muscat to Sochi and 4 hours and 14 minutes for the return leg. On July 3, Oman Air's fifth new route was activated, connecting Muscat with Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport in Uzbekistan, scheduled for two weekly flights using the Boeing 737 MAX 8, with a block time of 3 hours and 45 minutes for both outbound and return journeys.

The Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 narrowbody jets used for these new routes account for more than half of Oman Air's overall fleet. According to ch-aviation fleet data, the airline currently operates 18 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft with an average age of 5.7 years, and four 737-800s with an average age of 9.8 years. Additionally, its fleet includes two 737-900ERs and nine 787-9s. Regarding the in-flight experience on these routes, data from aeroLOPA shows that Oman Air's Boeing 737-800 and MAX 8 share the same cabin layout, each equipped with 12 business class seats and 150 economy class seats, with all 162 seats featuring personal in-flight entertainment screens.