Muscat – The number of passengers travelling through Salalah Airport in Dhofar during the three-month khareef season this year reached 463,848, an increase of 46 per cent compared to the same period in 2021.

“The airport saw the number of flights, both incoming and outgoing, during khareef – June 21 to September 21 – increase to 3,385, up 49 per cent compared to the same period last year,” said Salim Awad al Yafei, executive vice-president of Salalah Airport, adding that the maximum flights were witnessed in August.

“The number of flights per week averaged 352.”

According to Yafei, most airlines of the GCC operated direct flights to Salalah during khareef this year, including Wizz Air, Air Arabia, Fly Dubai, Gulf Air, Al Jazeera Airways, Kuwait Airways, Flynas and Qatar Airways.

“Oman Air operated 1,372 domestic flights during the season, and SalamAir 648,” Yafei added.

Regarding preparations for the winter season and charter flights, he said, “Eight direct flights will be operated per week from Slovakia, Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic, starting from November 2022 till March 2023.”

Meanwhile, the spring season, locally known as ‘al sarb’ begun in Dhofar on September 21 and will continue till December 21. Al sarb is characterised by bright sunlight, moderate weather and low humidity after the fog of khareef clears and flowers bloom, which attracts tourists to enjoy nature.