Muscat – The number of passengers arriving at Oman’s airports increased 94 per cent in January this year compared to the same period of 2022.

Data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) shows the number of departing passengers also increased 115 per cent year on year in January 2023.

The number of international flights (arrivals and departures) from airports in Muscat, Salalah and Sohar recorded an increase of 160.1 per cent to 7,525 in January 2023, compared to 2,893 in the same period in 2022.

The total number of arrivals, departures and transit passengers was 1,165,556 in January this year.

NCSI figures indicate that the number of arriving and departing flights (international and domestic) through Muscat International Airport increased 143 per cent to 7,687 – carrying 1,51,390 passengers – in January 2023.

Salalah Airport recorded a 43.1 per cent increase in the number of international and domestic flights to 774 carrying 105,719 passengers.

Twenty-four international flights – carrying 2,380 passengers – arrived and departed from Sohar Airport in January 2023. There were 52 domestic flights – carrying 6,067 passengers – in the same period at Sohar Airport.

In NCSI stats on nationality of travellers through Muscat International Airport, Indians topped the list of departing and arriving passengers (151,087), followed by people of Bangladesh (52,016) and Pakistan (39,762) in January.