By IANS,
Dubai : India’s national carrier Air-India and its low cost subsidiary Air-India Express recorded revenue growth in operations of 45 percent and 38 percent, respectively, out of Oman in 2007-08.
National Aviation Corporation of India Ltd (NACIL) executive director for Middle East and Africa F.D. Warden said Air-India Express’s revenues grew from 2.8 million Omani riyals ($7.3 million) in 2006-07 to RO3.9 million ($10.1 million) in 2007-08.
Air-India itself saw its revenues from its Oman operations grow from RO11 million ($28.6 million) in 2006-07 to RO16 million ($41.6 million) in 2007-08.
This proves that there is space for both a legacy carrier and a low cost carrier to co-exist and do equally well, the Oman Tribune quoted Warden as saying at a function in Muscat.
Air-India Express’s manager for Oman operations S. Pancharatnam said passengers carried by the airline between Muscat and India had increased from 38,914 in 2006-07 to 55,000 in 2007-08.
In operations out of Salalah, the number increased from 8,075 to 12,250 during the period under review, she added.
The airline flies between Muscat and the Indian cities of Kochi, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangalore.
From the port city of Salalah, it flies twice a week to Kochi and Kozhikode.
Oman is home to around 500,000 expatriate Indians.