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Muscat - In an achievement which is the first of its kind, the Airports Council International (ACI) has selected Sheikh Aiman bin Ahmed Al-Hosni, CEO of Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC) to be one of the representing members of Asia and Pacific regions. Airports Council International (ACI) is the only global trade representative of the world's airports. Established in 1991, ACI represents airports interests with Governments and international organizations, develops standards, policies and recommended practices for airports, and provides information and training opportunities to raise standards for airport operations around the world.
The selection of Sheikh Aiman bin Ahmed Al-Hosni as representing member of Asia and Pacific area for ACI reflects the leadership and achievements made by Al-Hosni in developing the performance of the Oman Airports Management Company at the administrative, operational and financial level. The company directly supervises Muscat International Airport and Salalah Airport, in addition to regional airports in Sohar and Duqm.
Al-Hosni was appointed to the position of CEO at OAMC in May 2015, after working for three years as General Manager of Muscat International Airport. During this period, he supervised the development process of the new airport and opening the first phase, as a preparation for the official opening after completing the operational readiness phases. Al-Hosni also managed the official opening of Salalah Airport in June 2015. The two new airports will contribute greatly in enhancing the capacity for air traffic movements locally and internationally, while supporting the continued growth of visitor arrivals for the local tourism sector.
Commenting on his selection as a member in Airports Council International, representing the Asia and the Pacific regions, Sheikh Aiman bin Ahmed Al-Hosni noted, "While we are proud of selecting Oman to represent this geographical area which includes more than 210 airports, we realize at the same time the size of responsibility. We have to excel in our performance to meet global standards. We are ready for that, as the new strategy of the company aims to place Oman Airports to be among the best 20 airports in the world by 2020. The collaborative efforts of our employees at OAMC to enhance the performance will reflect positively on the national economy. Airports are the gateway to the world and play a key role being the main infrastructure of the transport sector which is the backbone of the trade exchange."
The Airport Council International is the only trade representative of airports around the world. It represents more than 1850 airports which around 95% of the total air traffic of the airports globally. It also plays a role in promoting excellence in managing airports operations.
"This achievement would not be possible without the wise guidance of the Board of Directors, and the commitment of the employees. I would like to thank them all for this great performance which was the corner stone of highlighting Oman airports globally." He added.
This initiative was the result of the collaboration between various government entities, including the Public Authority for Civil Aviation and Oman Air under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport and Communications; working together to serve the Government's vision for economic diversification. The realisation of this vision however depends on the success of major sectors such as Tourism and logistics, which in turn rely heavily on the efficiency of a robust and reliable local infrastructure.
The strategic location of Oman at the heart of the key trade and travel routes, underlines the growth potential for the tourism and airlines sectors. Due to the strategic location, the Government of Oman adopted a future strategy for the Sultanate to be a global transit point for sea and air traffic movement. The government, in coordination with OAMC is planning to establish regional airports compatible with the highest international standards.
Air traffic movement in Muscat International Airport and Salalah Airport witnessed a significant increase in 2015. Number of passengers welcomed by Muscat International Airport in 2015 were up 18%, exceeding the milestone of 10 Million passengers for the first time ever. Furthermore, Salalah's newly inaugurated new Airport also recorded traffic of over 1 million passengers, an increase of 22%, owing to improved inbound and outbound tourism. Additionally, flight movements in Oman witnessed strong growth, with Muscat International Airport exceeding 95,000 movements (a rise of 15%) while the Salalah Airport saw a surge of 21% reaching nearly 9,000 flight movements.
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© Press Release 2016
