Omani carrier SalamAir has become the first operator in the Middle Eastern sultanate to introduce the Airbus A320neo.
The airline disclosed earlier this year that it was taking six A320neos for fleet and network expansion.
Five of them would be leased, it said. The airline states that the initial aircraft (A4O-OVD) has been taken on a “lease to purchase option”.
Airbus states that it delivered the CFM International Leap-powered aircraft, MSN7181, on 22 November. Flight Fleets Analyzer lists the aircraft as being leased from Singapore-based BOC Aviation.
“Addition of the A320neo will allow us to continue expanding our operations whether domestically or regionally,” says chief executive Capt Mohamed Ahmed.
SalamAir also placed an order for a single A320neo on 5 September.
Muscat-based SalamAir’s network covers 12 destinations outside of the Omani capital, 10 of which are international.
Middle Eastern carriers started taking delivery of A320neo-family jets this year, among them Kuwait's Jazeera Airways, Bahrain's Gulf Air, Flynas of Saudi Arabia, and Israel's Arkia.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
