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The number of
passengers using inflight connectivity on Oman Air’s OnAir-equipped Airbus
A330s has increased dramatically in the past year, as has the volume of data
exchanged. The airline has seven A330s fitted with both Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir.From 2012 to 2013,
the number of Oman Air’s passengers logging on to the OnAir networks increased
by 45%, and 85% more data was used.
Oman Air has worked
on increasing usage by implementing a series of creative new marketing
initiatives. These have included a promotion allowing passengers to use
Frequent Flyer miles to purchase Wi-Fi codes, as well as offering free vouchers
to First and Business class passengers in three or four different periods
throughout the year. The airline has also included a promotional advertising
campaign and a clip about Mobile OnAir before every film.
OnAir predicts that
Oman Air will see a doubling of Wi-Fi usage in 2014, thanks to its innovative
approach to marketing and providing passengers with value-added services around
connectivity. The usage figures show that when passengers know about the
service, there is a great demand for it. It also shows that OnAir connectivity
can meet both customer expectations and increasing demand.
“Having been the first airline in the world to
offer both services, Oman Air has now been providing Mobile OnAir and Internet
OnAir for over four years. We also have plans for adding the services to more aircraft,
as our fleet grows over the next few years,” said Andrew Walsh, Chief Officer
Service Delivery at Oman Air. “Our customers have warmly welcomed the
services and, thanks to our creative and proactive approach to marketing
onboard connectivity, we have seen a big growth in passenger usage in 2013. We
actively encourage passengers to use Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir and we are
confident that both will continue to meet service expectations.”
Oman Air has opted
for OnAir because it is the only provider offering consistent global coverage.
OnAir has a unique network of regulatory authorizations from over 100 countries
and more than 350 roaming agreements with mobile network operators. These are
complemented by Inmarsat SwiftBroadband, the only satellite network
specifically designed to provide worldwide coverage.
“We are always
excited to see passengers making the most of the services we provide. It’s
clear that Oman Air, having pioneered full onboard connectivity, has used
several appealing marketing initiatives to encourage users to connect to the
inflight GSM and Wi-Fi,” said Ian Dawkins, OnAir CEO. “The usage numbers show
passengers are using the service again and again, so they must recognise that
it more than lives up to its reputation. Passengers now expect to fly in a
connected aircraft, making inflight connectivity a must-have.”
About Oman Air
Oman Air is the flagship carrier of
the Sultanate of Oman and an Official 4 Star Airline (Skytrax 2011). Founded in
1993, the airline has since witnessed massive growth and has played a major
role in making Muscat an important traffic hub in the Middle East, supporting
the commercial, industrial and tourism sectors.
The airline currently operates direct
international flights from Muscat to Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah,
Riyadh, Dammam, Madina, Tehran and Kuwait, in the Gulf region, as well as
Cairo, Beirut and Amman within the wider Middle East region.
In addition, Oman Air flies to ten
destinations in India (Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad,
Delhi, Lucknow, Bangalore, Kozhikode and Jaipur), Chittagong in Bangladesh,
Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore in Pakistan, Kathmandu in Nepal and Colombo in
Sri Lanka. Oman Air also flies to the Maldives, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur,
Zanzibar and Dar Es Salaam. Its European destinations are London, Milan,
Munich, Frankfurt, Paris and Zurich.
Oman Air also has codeshare
partnerships with Emirates Airlines, giving travellers better connectivity and
an extended range of services between Dubai and Muscat, as well as with Qatar
Airways allowing Oman Air’s customers to book flights from any of the 43
departure points within its network to Doha, the capital of Qatar. Earlier this
year, Oman Air, entered into a codeshare partnership with Ethiopian Airlines,
the national carrier of Ethiopia, on the Muscat and Addis Ababa sectors, which
will offer greater choice for customers of the two airlines. In addition,
codeshare agreements have recently been signed with Royal Jordanian and Turkish
Airlines. The Royal Jordanian agreement enables that airline’s customers to fly
with Oman Air between Muscat and Amman, and Oman Air’s customers to fly with
Royal Jordanian between Amman and Beirut. The agreement with Turkish Airlines
allows passengers to book with either airline to fly between Muscat and
Istanbul, with the flights being operated by Turkish Airlines. Oman Air also
has signed a codeshare agreement with Sri Lankan Airlines recently, which
offers even greater choice and convenience for customers of both airlines. The
agreement, allows Oman Air’s customers to book seats on SriLankan Airline’s
services from Muscat to Singapore, Male, and China via Colombo. In turn, Sri
Lankan Airlines’ customers will be able to book onto Oman Air’s flights from
Colombo to Zurich via Omani Capital Muscat.
Oman Air’s fleet currently consists of
four Airbus A330-200s, three Airbus A330-300s, 17 Boeing 737-700s/800s, four Embraer E175s and two ATR 42s. Six Boeing 787
Dreamliners are on order for delivery from 2015, three Airbus A330s are
expected from December 2014 and six Boeing 737-800s will be added to the fleet,
also from 2014. In addition, Oman Air announced at the Paris Air Show 2013 an
order for six Boeing 737-900ERs – the first Gulf carrier to take the aircraft.
By 2016, Oman Air’s total fleet size is expected to be around 50 aircraft.
Oman Air’s outstanding aircraft
interiors include its First Class Mini Suite, which provides each of the six
First Class passengers with direct aisle access and converts to the longest
lie-flat seat in the skies. The A330’s 20 award-winning Business Class seats
each provide direct aisle access, ample storage space and the latest
technological amenities. Economy Class seats offer adjustable head and leg
rests, together with generous leg and elbow room.
A state of the art in-flight
entertainment system features individual seatback screens, audio and video on
demand and live satellite TV. In addition, Oman Air has pioneered both mobile
telephony and Internet connectivity on board its flights and this is available
in all three classes.
Superb new First and Business Class
lounges have been opened at Muscat International Airport, featuring elegant and
tranquil relaxation areas, complimentary spa treatments and à la carte dining.
A lounge-to-aircraft limousine service is also offered to First Class
passengers at Muscat.
Oman Air’s commitment to quality,
comfort and a seamless passenger experience has resulted in international
acclaim, including: Best Business Class Seat in the World (Skytrax World
Airline Awards 2011, 2012); Service Excellence, Middle East (Skytrax World
Airline Awards 2011); Best Luxury Airline, Middle East (Business Destinations
Awards 2011, 2012, 2013); Technological Innovation of the Year (Aviation
Business Awards 2010); as well as recognition in the TravelPlus Amenity Bag
Awards 2010 (three Gold, one Silver), 2011 (two Gold, one bronze), 2012 (one
Gold); the Cellars in the Sky Awards 2010 (Silver) and 2012 (two Gold), the
KLIA Awards 2011, the 2009 Vision Awards (one Silver, one Bronze) and the
Travel Industry Club Awards 2010 (Silver), TTG Travel Award 2011 as Commended
Airline of the Year, Best In-flight Connectivity & Communications award in
The 2011 Passenger Choice Awards in Seattle USA, The Airline of the Year Award
at France's Lauriers d'Or du Voyage d'Affaires, Top Resa 2011. More
recently, Oman Air was named the Leading Economy Class Airline, Middle East at
the World Travel Awards 2013.
www.omanair.com
About OnAir
OnAir sets the benchmark for global inflight connectivity
solutions, with over 60 customers on five continents. We are the only provider
to offer consistent global coverage for both inflight cellular and Wi-Fi
services, thanks to regulatory approvals from over 100 countries, more than 350
roaming agreements.
OnAir’s products enable passengers to use their own mobile phones,
smartphones, tablets and laptops in exactly the same way as they do on the
ground, either through the onboard cellular network or the onboard Wi-Fi
hotspot. OnAir also provides on-demand entertainment content, such as music,
videos, newspapers and magazines. The products are available as linefit or
retrofit for all commercial aircraft, as well as government, VIP and business
jets. OnAir products operate over all satellite links.
OnAir was
incorporated in February 2005 and is owned by SITA, the leading IT solutions
provider to the air transport world. OnAir is a member of the GSM Association
and an Inmarsat Distribution Partner for both SBB and GX Aviation services.
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