Wednesday 11 / November / 2026
Muscat: Oman’s logistics sector continues to record healthy growth and remains one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy, said Eng. Said bin Hamoud Al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.
Speaking to Times of Oman on the sidelines of the launch of a partnership between Oman Air and Indonesia-based GMF AeroAsia on Wednesday, Al Maawali said aviation growth was increasingly driven by cargo and aircraft maintenance.
“There is healthy growth in the logistics sector in Oman. It is one of the fastest-growing sectors. This year, especially, there was a big jump, but the jump is, of course, temporary. It is because of what is happening in the region,” he said.
He said Oman Air and SalamAir had repositioned their passenger operations, focusing on revenue quality and more economically beneficial air traffic. “We will continue to focus on point-to-point air travel because that is a lot more beneficial for the local economy,” said Al Maawali, who is also Chairman of Oman Air’s Board of Directors.
Passenger growth has been healthier than expected despite a regional slowdown in travel demand. “There is a dip this year because of what is happening in the region and the apprehension among passengers, too. But in Oman, the dip is slightly less than in the rest of the region,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Oman Air-GMF AeroAsia partnership aims to develop Oman’s aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities and position Muscat as a regional centre serving airlines in the Middle East and Africa.
The partnership will initially cover A and B checks, progressing to C checks within 36 months, followed by engine maintenance, aircraft painting, refurbishment and repurposing.
It will operate from a 39,000-square-metre workshop built at a cost of more than OMR100 million, with capacity to accommodate two narrow-body and one wide-body aircraft simultaneously.
“The partnership will focus on aircraft maintenance and will start with A and B checks, then evolve into C checks within the first 36 months, as well as engine maintenance,” Al Maawali said.
The two companies plan to expand their operations into other markets, particularly Africa and the Middle East, serving international carriers in addition to national airlines.
“This will make Muscat the first centre in Oman to repair, maintain, repurpose and undertake other jobs for aircraft, not just for national carriers but also international carriers,” he said, adding that the scope could eventually extend to military aircraft.
Describing the partnership as a good fit, Al Maawali said it combined GMF AeroAsia’s expertise and reputation in aircraft maintenance with Oman Air’s operational experience.
“Oman Air has good operational experience and aspirations, and we also have aspirations in the country to develop this crucial part of the economy that has not taken off yet,” he said.
