Nasser Al Salmi has been appointed to the role of chief operating officer at Oman Air.

An accomplished leader and fixture in the local aviation sector, Al Salmi brings more than three decades of hands-on industry know-how to the carrier, including pivotal operational expertise from his most recent role as chief operating officer at Gulf Air.

“The appointment of Al Salmi as chief operating officer at Oman Air comes at an unprecedented time in our airline’s history,” remarked Abdulaziz Al Raisi, chief executive of Oman Air.

“As we turn our focus towards a healthy, gradual recovery of our sector, it is imperative for us as an airline to strengthen our capabilities across the entire airline ecosystem.

“With his exceptional blend of flying experience and proven senior leadership capabilities, Al Salmi was the obvious choice for the role of chief operating officer and his extensive industry background will help Oman Air reach new heights of success in the post-pandemic world.” 

With airlines around the world still navigating the impacts of Covid-19, and faced with ongoing declines in demand for international travel, Oman Air has moved quickly to align its operating model to meet the new reality of border closures, travel restrictions and fewer passengers.

As incoming chief operating officer, Al Salmi will report directly to chief executive Al Raisi and will be tasked, among other duties, with improving efficiencies across several operational areas including flight operations, maintenance and engineering, inflight services and airport operations.