Summary Oman Air received the first of three Boeing 787 Dreamliners scheduled to be delivered this year. The airline has removed First Class and introduced a new Business Studio product, focusing on passenger comfort & cost-efficiency. The airline is currently in the process of right-sizing its fleet by focusing on newer and greener jets.
Muscat-based Oman Air has announced that it has received the first of three Boeing 787 Dreamliners scheduled to be delivered to the airline this year. While these aircraft will help the airline expand its operations, they are also special because they will be configured with two cabin classes, featuring the airline's new Business Class product. One of three Oman Air today took delivery of the first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft and the airline stated that it would be receiving two more aircraft of the type from Boeing by the end of the year.
This aircraft will be the 10th example of the Dreamliner within the airline's fleet, which currently features two of the smaller 787-8s and eight of the larger 787-9s. While the airline is expecting to receive two more Dreamliners by the end of the year, the carrier will still have five more 787-9s on order, and these aircraft are scheduled to be delivered by 2027. The airline CEO, Con Korfiatis, stated, "We’re excited to welcome our new Boeing B787-9 to our aircraft line-up, which aligns with our strategy to fly a modern and common Oman Air fleet.
It allows us to maintain efficiency in operations, optimise maintenance costs and ensure a seamless and consistent experience for our guests. "Our latest addition to the fleet is also consistent with our focus on transforming our airline towards financial sustainability, while upholding our reputation as a world-class carrier and supporting Oman’s ambitions to increase tourism and connectivity in the years to come." Featuring a new Business Class cabin The airline announced earlier this week that it will be removing its First Class cabin and introducing a new Business product onboard its newer Dreamliners.
This new aircraft is the first to feature this cabin configuration. The new product will be launched in a few weeks at London Heathrow and then in Bangkok soon thereafter. The new cabin (named Business Studio) will enter commercial service on September 9th, with the airline's daily service to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and then to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) later in the year.
By utilizing a two-class configuration onboard, the airline will be able to provide a better onboard experience in line with industry standards and make the rates affordable without compromising the amenities or services. Under the newer configuration, the airline will also experience a capacity increase of 9.1% (in Economy Class) onboard the 787-9s.
Capacity* (Old) Configuration Capacity (New) Configuration First Class 8 1-2-1 N/A Business Class 24 2-2-2 30 1-2-1 Economy Class 232 3-3-3 258 3-3-3 Total Seats 264 288 *The data shown is for the airline's 3 class configured Boeing 787-9s. Oman Air also operates the type configured with two classes (Business and Economy). 10 more aircraft The current data from Boeing's order book reflects that by the end of this year, discounting the two 787-9s scheduled to be delivered this year, Oman Air will have ten more aircraft to be delivered.
While half of these aircraft are Dreamliners, the other five aircraft are the Boeing 737 MAX, which will contribute to expanding the airline's narrowbody fleet. Recently, the airline has been right-sizing its fleet to be more profitable by getting rid of its older Airbus A330s and focusing on efficiency while still maintaining its award-winning onboard service. With the newer and greener jets due to be delivered in the coming years, the airline will be able to expand as required in a more profitable and efficient manner.
Furthermore, with the carrier due to join the oneworld alliance soon, it can also rely on providing its customers with global connectivity via its partner airlines, such as Qatar Airways . It will be more than two years since Oman Air announced its intentions to join the oneworld alliance..
