Flora D'lite offers more ways to order flowers and gifts in Muscat, Oman

Flora D'Lite, a boutique floral retailer in Oman that opened early 2021, is now taking online orders for cakes, flowers and gifts for delivery in Muscat. Services for Sohar include cakes and flowers.

According to Flora D'lite, the company offers a wide range of flowers which are sourced and stored so that they have best-quality freshness. Same-day deliveries are possible.

The company has two physical boutiques in Qurum (next to Fun Zone) and Seeb (Links, Muscat Hills) respectively, and the company plans to expand delivery services to cover more of the country before end-2021.

Oman Air adds third flight on Muscat-to-Mumbai route

Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, has launched a third daily flight on its Muscat to Mumbai route. The new time slot is expected to prove popular especially with business travellers who can now take an evening flight and reach their destination early the next morning.

Launched on 1 August this year, the two hour 50 minute flight departs Muscat, Oman at 10.40pm and arrives in Mumbai at 3am the next morning. The return flight leaves Mumbai, India at 4.05am and reaches Muscat at 5.15am. 

Oman Air already has two daily return flights between Muscat and Mumbai – the outgoing flights depart Muscat at 1.20am and 9am respectively, arriving in Mumbai at 5.40am and 1.20pm. One return flight leaves Mumbai at 4.15pm to arrive in Muscat at 5.30pm, while the other flight departs Mumbai at 6.55am, reaching Muscat at 8.10am.

Mumbai is the largest city in India and its financial, commercial and entertainment capital. Drawing in around 5 million visitors a year, the city is consistently in high demand among Oman Air guests, especially those from Oman’s large Indian expatriate community.

Oman Air first launched flights to India in the 1990s and the demand for seats has grown exponentially amongst both business and leisure passengers. The new flight is the latest move in Oman Air’s programme of fleet and network expansion and follows a revised air services agreement between the governments of Oman and India in December 2016, when the number of weekly seats was increased to 27,405 seats for both countries, against 21,145 seats in the previous agreement.

The airline is growing its weekly capacity to India with frequencies increasing on five of the airline’s 11 key Indian destinations. Bombay, Delhi and Hyderabad have gone from twice daily to three times daily. Flights to Calicut have grown from once daily to three times daily while Lucknow flights are now twice daily. The airline also launched direct daily flights between Salalah, Oman and Calicut in early 2017. This latest addition from Mumbai to Muscat increases the overall weekly frequency of flights to India from 154 to 161.

Abdulrahman Al-Busaidy, Deputy CEO & Chief Commercial Officer of Oman Air, said: “The addition of this flight is part of our wider commitment to the Indian market. India is a key destination for Oman Air and the demand for all 11 of our Indian destinations has always been high. Increased frequencies offer yet more choice and convenience to our guests, who will now be able to leave Muscat in the evening and arrive in Mumbai the following morning. We are sure this new service will prove just as popular as our other Indian routes.”

First, business class Oman Air passengers can customise digital content for in-flight consumption

Source: Oman Air. The Media Box, with local and Arabic media added, is now available to first and business class Oman Air passengers departing Muscat, Oman.

Passengers can now enjoy digital news and entertainment in the recently-renovated first-class and business-class lounges for Oman Air in Muscat, Oman. 

The Media Box - one of the largest e-paper media libraries, developed by Media Carrier - will be available. Customers compile a personalised set of on-board reading material from a portfolio of international magazines and daily newspapers. The range has been extended through a collaboration with United Media Services (UMS), a media and communication company in Oman and UAE, to include local and Arabian media from the region.

The Web-based platform supports any Internet-enabled device, smartphone or tablet. Passengers register in the lounge using the free Wi-Fi by entering their name and flight number and then download their chosen reading material. Newspapers and magazines are then presented in unabridged form, in the same layout used in print versions, on their personal devices. An analysis of downloads is expected to reveal which media are favoured by different passenger segments and can be used to create a more targeted service in the future.

Abdulaziz Al Raisi, EVP–Products & Brand Development, says: "Oman Air is committed to continuously finding new ways to surprise and delight our customers, increase convenience and make their passenger experience even more enjoyable...As a result of their excellent, longstanding expertise, the media and sales professionals from Media Carrier/UMS impressed us with their e-paper media library. This service will be warmly welcomed by our premium customers at Muscat, and further extends Oman Air’s innovative digital strategy.”

Media Carrier specialises in marketing and distributing digital content. It supplies the travel industry with e-papers through the Media Box, and counts Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Eurowings and Air Berlin as well as more than 1,000 hotels around the world as customers.

Muscat-based UMS works predominantly in the Arabian region and has been responsible for supplying Oman Air with newspapers and magazines in the Middle East, including Gulf countries and the Indian sub-continent, since 2009.

Bank Muscat's Terhal offers travel financing

Coinciding with the summer (Q2 to Q3) holidays and the upcoming Eid al Fitr, and in line with the bank’s vision Let’s do more, Bank Muscat, has launched Terhal, a suite of travel services with banking features and facilities. Oman’s first-of-its-kind product is in alignment with strategies aimed at providing a distinct banking experience aimed at customers interested in tourism and travel, the bank said.

Under Terhal, customers will be able to obtain finance of up to RO10,000, at a 3.5% interest rate, repayable over 12 months. Terhal customers will receive a Bank Muscat Oman Air credit card plus a superior travel insurance package. The insurance package will cover a lost passport, flight postponement or cancellation, emergency medical expenses and services, plus personal incidents and lost luggage. Customers are also eligible to earn Oman Air’s free Sindbad miles.

Abdullah Tamman Al Maashani, Deputy General Manager – Institutional Sales & Products Development at Bank Muscat said: “We aim to provide the best banking services and products to all customers while assisting them to draw up ideal financial plans.

"Terhal is designed to help its customers prepare themselves financially and avail special offers during their holidays. Bank Muscat continues adding value to its services and products, in line with a firm commitment to all its customers.”

Interested?

Read the Suroor Asia blog posts about Bank Muscat's Tadhamun initiative and about Oman's Eid al Fitr holiday dates

Bank Muscat introduces chip & PIN debit cards

Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate of Oman, has marked the distribution of 500,000 chip & personal identification number (PIN) debit cards featuring advanced security for day-to-day payments and cash withdrawals. The new card is designed to make everyday purchases easier, and provides access to the bank’s network of 153 branches, ATMs and cash deposit machines (CDMs) across Oman.

The chip-based cards provide additional security for transactions through requiring the use of a PIN at point of sale terminals. While new customers automatically receive the Chip & PIN card, all Bank Muscat debit cardholders will automatically migrate to the new card at the time of renewal. With the new technology, cardholders are required to enter a four-digit PIN, instead of a signature, to verify payments at terminals that are chip & PIN compliant.

The cards are additionally protected with Verified by Visa security. Customers also receive alerts on mobile phones for transactions made using the card. Cardholders can take advantage of this service after registering their mobile numbers with the bank. 

UAE benefits for Almouj Golf members

Source: Almouj Golf.

Almouj Golf has introduced two new membership packages for individuals and groups respectively. 

In addition to playing Oman’s first 18-hole PGA-Standard links golf course, members will enjoy 20% discounts off food and beverages, and savings of 10% off products from Almouj Golf’s Pro Shop. Members will also receive exclusive guest rates and dining privileges when visiting two the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club and the Emirates Golf Club in the UAE. Corporate members

can also benefit from reduced event fees. 

“The new packages underline Almouj Golf’s long-term promise to grow the game and introduce a variety of attractive membership categories, including Academy memberships,” said Mubarak Hill, Club Manager of Almouj Golf. “Since starting our operations, we have consistently strived to offer tailored programmes suited for enthusiasts and professionals alike. With these latest memberships, we aim to make the game more accessible to all and encourage everyone to learn, play, dine and celebrate at Almouj Golf.”

Starting in 2016, additional benefits of the new launch will see championship course members at Almouj Golf gain complimentary summer access to the 18-hole Championship Courses at the Emirates Golf Club and the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. Academy members will gain Academy Par-3 summer access to both clubs after the New Year.

Travelauto.com partners with Arabia Cars Oman

Source: Travelauto.com website.

Travelauto.com, a car rental marketplace, has announced that Arabia Cars Oman has joined the Travelauto family to provide car rental services in Oman. Arabia Cars Rental Company covers an extensive region throughout the Sultanate and its addition to travelauto.com is expected to make car rental highly competitive and affordable to travelers visiting the country. The company provides travelers with a varied fleet of more than 1,000 vehicles available for spot rentals and corporate long-term rental.

The addition of Arabia Cars to the car rental platform comes on the wheels of other major additions which include rental companies such as Enterprise Rent-a-car, Go Rent-a-car and Flight Cars among others. It is expected that this addition will help cover a wider region while at the same time allowing travelers to access budget car rental services throughout Oman. 

Travelauto.com has registered a tremendous growth over the years in neighbouring UAE and the addition of the major car rental agencies in Oman to their platform is expected to provide travelers with a wide range of options to pick from when they travel to other GCC countries as well. With Arabia Cars, travelers visiting to Muscat Oman can pre-book their car rental online and can pick the car upon arrival at Muscat Airport.

Travelauto is designed to help travellers to engage with car rental service providers directly. Anyone can open an account with Travelauto or compare car rental prices from any location.

Read our blog post on limo services by Travelauto.com here.

Qatar Airways adds flights to Muscat, Islamabad, Tehran from September

Qatar Airways has announced more flights to the popular destinations of Tehran, the capital of Iran, Islamabad, capital city of Pakistan, and Muscat, capital of Oman in response to a steady increase in passenger demand. 

Source: Qatar Airways. From left: Muscat, Islamabad, and Tehran.

The additional flights, which include four for Tehran, two for Islamabad and four for Muscat per week, will commence September 1, 3 and 16 respectively. The Doha-Muscat route will go up from 31 to 35 per week. Qatar Airways has five flights daily to Oman while Tehran, which is currently served with 14 flights a week, will see an increase to 18 flights weekly when it adds the four flights. 

The airline now flies to Islamabad once a day; two more flights added to the schedule bring the number of weekly flights up from seven to nine. Qatar Airways increased frequencies to Islamabad last year, from four flights a week to daily flights. 

The additional flights will help meet the needs of those travelling to and from the Americas, which is a popular destination for many passengers from Pakistan. The short connection time at Hamad International Airport in Doha is another strong draw for those looking to make the cross-Atlantic journey.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker said: “People from all over the world are becoming more and more interested in discovering this part of the world. With such rich histories and stunning, undiscovered landscapes, these destinations are hidden gems that are slowly coming into their own.

“We have witnessed a great increase in passenger demand for both local passengers in each market, as well as international passengers looking to travel to each of these cities, and passengers on these flights can look forward to an enhanced travel experience with Qatar Airways’ five-star service as we welcome them onboard.”

The additional Doha – Tehran weekly flight schedule commencing September 1 (all times local)

Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays

Depart Doha QR488 at 0720 hrs, arrive Tehran at 1055 hrs
Depart Tehran QR489 at 1155 hrs, arrive Doha at 1230 hrs


The two additional Doha – Islamabad flights commencing September 3 (all times local)

Wednesdays and Thursdays

Depart Doha QR616 at 0050 hrs, arrive Islamabad at 0630 hrs
Depart Islamabad QR617 at 0730 hrs, arrive Doha at 0915 hrs


The additional Doha – Muscat weekly flight schedule commencing September 16 (all times local)

Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays

Depart Doha QR1126 at 1440 hrs, arrive Muscat at 1705 hrs
Depart Muscat QR1127 at 1805 hrs, arrive Doha at 1830 hrs