Jet Airways relocates regional headquarters to Muscat

Relocation of Jet Airways regional headquarters from Bahrain to Muscat is yet another example of Oman's sound economic health. The airlines brought its regional office recently to Muscat, apparently to give Oman more importance in the region. Abdulrahman al Busaidy, Group Executive Officer of Jet Airways, said, "Oman had always been very important for us. We fly three times in a day to Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram and Cochin from Muscat International Airport and we have plans to explore some more sectors in future." Oman's economy, according to him, "is far more resilient to the present global financial condition. The situation is favourable for most of the companies operating from Oman. We found this to be an opportunity and established our office in Muscat." Underlining the expansion plans of Jet Airways in the region Busaidy said, "We are planning to have direct flights from Muscat to two new sectors in India. The new sectors most likely would be Chennai and Delhi."

Commenting on present strength of Jet Airways Busaidy said, "Currently we operate a fleet of 86 aircraft, which include 10 Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, 12 Airbus A330-200 aircraft, 50 classic and next generation Boeing 737-400/700/800/900 aircraft and 14 modern ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft. With an average fleet age of 4.53 years, the airline has one of the youngest aircraft fleet in the world." "Flights to 63 destinations span the length and breadth of India and beyond, including New York (both JFK and Newark), Toronto, Brussels, London (Heathrow), Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Dhaka, Kuwait, Bahrain, Muscat, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai," he said. Meanwhile, at a recently concluded ceremony to honour travel partners in Oman, Riyaz Kuttery, Country Manager of Jet Airways in Oman outlined the airlines' future plans and assured better services to passengers.

Oman Air conducts training programme for sales executives

Oman Air Training Centre conducted a training programme recently for Oman Air's sales executives from its various outstations who attended the course that was conducted in two batches, each batch with 16 participants. The recent programme for sales executives was conducted to encourage them to understand the sales process in depth, and develop the skills needed in order to creatively produce customized sales solutions and to increase effectiveness in each step on the process, improve prospecting and develop the appropriate approach and presentation techniques to gain the customer's attention, interest and desire for Oman Air products or services and to create rapport with customers through powerful communication techniques. 'The course covered important topics such as understanding the sales process, preparation, approach, presentation techniques, winning attitude, trial close, communication skills, overcoming objectives, closing techniques, follow up and personal development.

Ruqaiya Adams, Training Manager of Oman Air Training Center said: 'Implementing new course modules to suit the working requirement of the trainees and to impart the most modern techniques to ensure higher and better productivity has always been the motto of the Oman Air Training Centre. The Centre conducts a number of courses to employees of various departments and has the most modern training infrastructure that is in high demand by other organisations as well. 'Updating of skills is very important in any industry and assumes greater importance in sales. We are sure with this training programme we have covered most of the pertinent issues faced by sales staff and our trainees with their enriched knowledge will be able to successfully enhance sales to Oman Air' Adams said.

Jet Airways flight makes precautionary landing at Delhi

A Jet Airways plane to Vadodara, with 63 passengers on board, had to make a precautionary landing at IGI airport delhi after its pilot detected some technical fault in the landing gear of the aircraft this evening. "The Jet Airways' flight 9W 2601 ATR aircraft took off from IGI airport around 5.30 p.m. but the pilot detected some technical fault with the plane's landing gear and decided to make a precautionary landing," a Jet Airways spokesperson said. All precautionary measures were implemented during the landing of the aircraft. The plane landed safely around 6.10 p.m. with all 63 passengers on board, an airport official said.

Indian private carriers call off strike

Pressured by low-cost carriers, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) has called off its decision to suspend domestic operations on August 18, two days after it was announced. An FIA press release said the strike was being withdrawn "in view of the agitated public sentiment and potential inconvenience to thousands of passengers and the government’s willingness to enter into dialogue". Eight private airlines, including Jet Airways and Kingfisher, had on Friday said they would stop domestic operations for a day on August 18 to pressure the government for a bailout and threatened an indefinite suspension if their demands were not met. The strike call ran into opposition almost immediately, when IndiGo announced its decision to withdraw on Saturday and SpiceJet followed suit early Sunday evening. Earlier in the day, MDLR Airlines, which has three aircraft and flies to six destinations, and Paramount, which has a 2 per cent domestic market share, announced that they were not participating in the strike.

Representatives of state-owned Air India, which is an FIA member, did not attend Friday's meeting and declined to be part of the strike from the start. Private carriers account form over 80 per cent of the domestic airline market. Sources said low-cost carriers were peeved that the full-service carriers had given the government the impression that the airlines wanted bailout packages, an issue, they said, was never discussed at FIA’s Friday meeting. What domestic airlines wanted, the low cost carriers said, was that Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), which accounts for 40 per cent of carriers’ operational cost, should be notified under the declared goods category, which means it will attract a uniform tax of 4 per cent across the country instead of varying rates that are as high as 30 per cent in some states. Airlines also wanted the parking and airport charges, which are 50 to 60 per cent higher than international levels and have pushed up their costs by $250 million annually, to be reduced.