Oman Air launches 'family get-together' fares to Salalah

Oman Air, the Diamond Sponsor and Official Carrier for Salalah Tourism Festival in its continuing efforts to boost inbound tourism, has designed attractive family rates for passengers travelling from Muscat to Salalah who can now plan to escape to the verdant and delightfully cool Salalah. Abdulrazaq Alraisi, Senior Manager - Sales, Oman Air, said, 'Oman Air is happy to play a pioneering role in activating internal tourism by offering packages and prices that would attract the general public to travel to Salalah. With the heat soaring in the Gulf, the need to cool off in a cooler place has become a need of the moment for everyone. Oman Air's efforts in this regard have not only made the passengers appreciate the ingenuity of the National Carrier but also are earning it laurels for helping boost the tourism potential of Salalah and matches well with the slogan of the ongoing Salalah Tourism Festival - 'family get-together'.'

To help families fly to Salalah and enjoy the clement weather, Oman Air is offering a wide range of fares for family members during the Khareef season in Salalah. The special rates that are on offer for passengers travelling from Muscat to Salalah and back for Parents and for each child for parents travelling with children less than 12 years with one month ticket validity, special fare per ticket for group booking of a minimum of ten adult passengers and maximum of 30 adult passengers travelling jointly (two children paying applicable child fare are considered as one group member) and a special rate for passengers, who are regularly traveling to Salalah or Muscat which includes 4 tickets.

Jet Airways launches Hyderabad-Dubai flight

Jet Airways, India's premier international airline, will launch a new daily flight on the Dubai to Hyderabad sector, aboard a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, effective August 16, 2009. Flight 9W 550 will depart Hyderabad at 0930 hrs, arriving in Dubai at 1150 hrs. Flight 9W 549 will then depart Dubai at 1250 hrs, arriving in Hyderabad at 1800 hrs. The new Hyderabad-Dubai flight will be Jet Airways' first international service from Hyderabad, and its second daily service to Dubai from South India. The airline currently flies twice daily to Dubai from Mumbai, and daily from Delhi and Chennai. Hyderabad, or the 'City of Pearls' is the administrative, financial and economic capital of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

Also known as the 'City of Nizams' from its days as the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad, it is renowned the world over for its rich history and distinctive 'Hyderabadi' culture- a unique mix of the linguistic and cultural traditions of North and South India, as well as Hindu and Muslim traditions. A delightful mix of old-world charm and modernity, Hyderabad has, in recent years, grown to become one of the coutnry's leading IT and biotechnology hubs. Shakir Kantawala, General Manager, Dubai and Northern Emirates, Jet Airways, said, 'Hyderabad is another step to further enhance the Indo-Gulf connectivity. Dubai is home to one of the largest number of Andhra expatriates and our new operation will surely help our valued guests residing and working in UAE who come from Hyderabad and other important areas around Hyderabad, like Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Adilabad, who can now experience our world class services, on the ground and in the air.'

Kantawala said, 'Jet Airways also plays an important role in promoting tourism and Hyderabad has always been a favorite holiday destination. Also, Hyderabad is one of Asia's largest IT hubs and our operation will offer better options for corporate and commercial travel.' He added, 'We have a very special All Inclusive introductory Return fare, in Economy, valid for travel from Dubai to Hyderabad in the first week of our new operation from 16th August to 22nd August and return travel can be completed by 30 September 2009. Jet Airways will continue to offer value for money.' Bookings can be made and tickets can be purchased through any travel agent, Jet Airways office, or the Jet Airways website.

According to Mr. Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, CEO, Jet Airways, 'With the growing popularity of Dubai as a leading business and leisure destination, there has been an increasing demand for enhanced air connectivity to the Gulf emirate from Southern India. We are confident that the new service from Hyderabad will be well-appreciated by travellers and will complement our existing services from India.' With the introduction of this new Hyderabad - Dubai service, Jet Airways will fly to eight destinations in the Gulf, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Muscat, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Riyadh and Dubai from several Indian cities.

Oman extends bid deadline for new terminal at Muscat airport

Oman has extended until August 31 a deadline for international firms, including French Vinci and Indian Larsen & Toubro, to bid for the construction of a new terminal at Muscat's main airport. The tender, which contractors say is worth about $1.4bn, has already been pushed back twice this year. 'Bidders need more time to prepare for the new changes,' an Oman tender board official has said.