Oman Air delays flights to Najaf

Muscat: All Oman Air flights between Muscat and Najaf, Iraq have been deferred from September 15 to October 1, the national carrier said on Wednesday.
The airline also announced that to ensure safe flight operations, its planned service between Muscat and Najaf will no longer be launched on September 15. “A decision as to whether flights will take off after October 1 will be taken later this month and an announcement will be made in due course. The decision was taken in line with Oman Air’s overriding priority of ensuring the safety and well-being of all its customers and staff,” a spokesperson from Oman Air said.
The carrier also said it is sorry for the inconvenience that will arise as a result of this cancellation, but will do all it can to minimise its effects on passengers. “Tickets will be refunded or exchanged at the point of purchase. Alternatively, please contact Oman Air’s Customer Service team at [email protected] or at telephone number: 2453 1111,” the airline said in a statement.
Note 7 prohibited
The national carrier of Oman also advised its passengers that the use and charging of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is prohibited onboard all Oman Air flights beginning from September 11, until further notice. “Galaxy Note 7 devices must also not be stowed in checked baggage, but may be hand-carried as long as the device is turned off at all times inside the aircraft. We sincerely hope for our passengers’ full cooperation, as the safety of everyone onboard our flights remains our utmost priority. Oman Air regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the holders of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices.”
Baggage delays
Meanwhile, passengers from Muscat, who landed at Calicut International Airport in Kerala on Monday, complained of baggage delays. “We were not informed about the delay in baggage arrival. We waited for more than one hour and as we didn’t see our bags, we enquired and found that there is a delay,” passenger Sreeram told the Times of Oman over phone from Calicut. “The bags arriving on Monday belonged to passengers from Saturday and Sunday,” Sreeram said, adding that he collected his bag on Tuesday.
Due to Eid Al Adha and Onam (Indian harvest festival) holidays, almost all airlines are fully booked, with passengers flying to holiday destinations and their home countries.
This Eid Al Adha holiday coincided with Onam celebrations and allowed Omanis and expats in the Sultanate to observe a nine-day holiday.