Oman Air is to undergo a “radical and sustainable” transformation plan over the coming three to four years after racking up a series of losses. Although the company’s financial situation has not been revealed, the restructuring aims to address “ongoing losses and the accumulation of debt,” the carrier says. This could see reductions to the Middle Eastern carrier's network plus the acceleration of its integration with low-cost carrier Salam Air. Oman Air chairman Saeed Al Mawali, who is also the country’s minister for transport, communications and information technology, says the transformation plan aims to address the company’s financial sustainability, corporate governance, commercial aspects, and human capital. It has been based on recommendations from consultancy Oliver Wyman, who assessed the airline’s performance and developed a plan towards sustainable operations. This will include changes to the company’s board and management over the coming months to bring in industry experts, “whether local or international,” it states. “Meanwhile, the airline’s network is being re-evaluated by international experts, and decisions will be taken on whether to continue certain destinations,” Oman Air says. “Integration with Salam Air is also high on the programme’s agenda.” Oman air said last year that it would strengthen its cooperation with Salam Air to align their networks for passenger growth on flights to and from the country. Both companies are ultimately state-owned enterprises. They have played a role in the development of Oman’s Vision 2040 Strategy, which aims to increase inbound tourism to the country through enhanced capacity levels. Oman Air previously launched a transformation plan designed to deliver sustainable profits in September 2019 following losses of RO160 million ($416 million) in 2017. Its recent financial performance, and levels of debt, have not been published. Its 40-strong in-service fleet is made up of 35 Boeing 737 NG and Max aircraft, plus nine 787s and six Airbus A330s. It also has nine 787-9s and two 737 Maxes on order, plus three 737-800s in storage. Of its total fleet of 55 units, including those on order and in storage, eight of its 787-9s are leased, plus 13 Max 8s, nine 737-800s, and five 737-900ERs – amounting to 64% of the total. The entire remainder of its fleet are owned, except for two A330-200s and two 787-8s. The most exposed lessor is Air Lease Corporation, which has 11 737, 737 Max and 787 units with the Omani carrier, followed by CDB Aviation with seven units, Avolon (four) and SMBC Aviation Capital (three) and DAE Capital with two.
GOAL manages five 737s that are owned by Sun Country Airlines, the data shows.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has activated 169 new air traffic routes along the country’s East Coast. The routes, the agency says, are "more direct, saving passengers time, airlines fuel and increasing safety". The FAA adds that the direct routes will "shave off" 40,000 miles and 6,000 minutes of travel time annually due to the shorter distances involved. "The change helps prevent delays by giving the agency more capacity to direct traffic to specific routes based on the aircraft’s destination," it says. "When weather occurs, controllers will also have more flexibility. Finally, fewer converging points and more simple flows enhance safety." The new routes operate primarily above 18,000 feet in altitude along the East Coast, as well as offshore areas over the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. The FAA says it has "sunset the legacy routes built when aircraft largely relied on ground-based radar, limiting the directness of routes, instead of GPS". Tim Arel, chief operating officer of the FAA’s air traffic organisation, states: "These significant improvements to our national airspace system are just in time for summer and will help travellers get to their destinations more efficiently." "The new routes will reduce complexity and redistribute volume across all available airspace. I’m proud of the FAA and industry’s strong collaboration on this project to get it done." The FAA says it has worked for over seven years with the industry to develop and implement the new flightpaths.

Pakistan announced on 7 August that it plans to privatise national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). "The CCoP (Cabinet Committee of Privatisation) after deliberation decided to include Pakistan International Airlines Co. Ltd (PIACL) in the list of active privatisation projects of the ongoing privatisation programme, following an amendment in the law by the Parliament," the government states. At the meeting, the committee also gave a nod to hiring a financial advisor to “process/structure transaction” of Roosevelt Hotel in New York, an asset of PIA Investment. PIA leased out the hotel in May to New York city’s administration for $220 million for three years. The carrier posted an operating profit of PRs767 million ($2.7 million) in the first quarter ended 31 March, reversing a loss from a year ago. However, net loss attributable to came in at PRs38 billion, widening from a PRs14.3 billion loss in the year-ago period. PIA made an operating loss of PRs11.3 billion in 2022, narrowing from the year before, although its net loss of PRs88 billion widened from the year before. The carrier has 34 aircraft in its fleet, with 16 units on lease. It has 23 aircraft in service comprising 12 Airbus A320ceos, nine Boeing 777s and two ATR42s and 11 in storage, comprising five A320ceos, three ATR 72s, one ATR42 and two 777s in storage, according to fleets data. It flies to about two dozen international destinations mostly in the Middle East and also Toronto, Beijing and Kuala Lumpur, and over a dozen destinations domestically.