Oman airspace can now handle 1,500 flights

Muscat: Oman’s airspace will now be able to handle 1,500 flights daily with the launch of the new air traffic control centre, said the chief of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA).
The PACA launched the Muscat Air Traffic Control Centre on Thursday, under the auspices of Dr. Yahya bin Mahfouz Al Mantheri, head of the State Council, making it the biggest and technologically most advanced air control centre in the region, developed at a cost of OMR25 million.
Dr. Mohammad bin Nasser Al Zaabi, the CEO of PACA, said with the new centre, the Sultanate would be able to handle 1,500 aircraft flying in Omani airspace as it will enable a broader view of air traffic and facilitate managing the flow of aircrafts more efficiently.
“By launching this centre, the Sultanate will be able to handle more than 1,500 aircraft. Their number will increase by 11 per cent each year based on the Omani airspace’s excellent astronomical position,” said Al Zaabi.
“It connects the most important airports, including those in Australia, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa,” he added, explaining the importance of the Sultanate’s location. Considered the most advanced air control centre in the Middle East, it will be able to handle flights up to 47,000 feet (14 kilometres) using 34 screens measuring 56 inches, the largest of its kind deployed at air traffic control centres.
Mohammad Khalifa Rahma, Regional Director of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Middle East Regional Office, said, “One of the challenges that the Middle East is facing is the congestion of air traffic.
“With advancements in technology, we can ensure that all aircrafts are safe.”
According to Rahma, currently 10 million passengers travel in 100,000 flights daily along international air routes.