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DOHA: Oman Air will be joining the oneworld alliance, further strengthening the airline alliance’s position in the Middle East, said CEO Abdulaziz Al-Raisi.

At the Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association in Doha, Al-Raisi said that Oman Air’s strategic partnership with Qatar Airways — which the companies signed a year-and-a-half ago — helped with the step toward joining the alliance.

Oman Air is expected to formally join the alliance in 2024, following which it will provide even more flights and destinations to customers planning global travel across the alliance’s members and the full range of oneworld benefits to customers traveling on its flights.

We’re delighted to be joining the world’s foremost airline alliance at a time when travel demand is on the rise.

Abdulaziz Al-Raisi

It also makes oneworld the only global airline alliance with three members in the Middle East, along with Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian.

“We’re delighted to be joining the world’s foremost airline alliance at a time when travel demand is on the rise. We look forward to welcoming oneworld members onboard Oman Air to experience the height of Omani hospitality,” Al-Raisi said.

“We have a very strong partnership between Oman Air and Qatar Airways, and we have a shuttle service between Oman and Qatar,” he added.

There are three flights a day that will transport connecting passengers from and to Doha, according to the CEO.

Qatar Airways pushed for Oman Air’s case to oneworld, Al-Raisi said. Oman Air passengers can fly to 1,200 destinations worldwide through the oneworld alliance, Al-Raisi added.

Currently, Oman Air flies to about 200 destinations through its codeshare agreement with Qatar Airways, he informed.

“Oman Air’s network has really grown, even though we only have 49 aircraft,” he said.

Although Oman Air has not yet reached pre-pandemic levels, Al-Raisi said that the airline may do so by the end of 2023.