Oman-based airline SalamAir has launched direct flights between Sylhet and Muscat, marking the return of a foreign airline to Sylhet MAG Osmani International Airport after an eight-year hiatus.
A SalamAir flight from Muscat landed at Osmani Airport at 7:30am on Tuesday, carrying 133 passengers. The return flight departed Sylhet at 8:45am. The inaugural flight was welcomed with a ceremonial water-cannon salute as it entered the airport’s taxiway, according to SalamAir Sylhet Area In-Charge Selim Al Razi.
SalamAir Chief Commercial Officer Steve Allen attended the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest, while Fatihah Ahmed Al Balushi, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Oman, was present as the special guest.
Officials from the airport, Biman Bangladesh Airlines and SalamAir were also present at the ceremony. They included Sylhet Osmani International Airport Director Mohammad Hafiz Ahmed, Biman Sylhet District Manager Shariful Alam, SalamAir Bangladesh Country Manager Mohammad Rajon and SalamAir Area Manager Sajid Khan.
To mark the occasion, SalamAir distributed sweets among passengers arriving from and departing for Muscat. Guests were also welcomed with flowers before attending a luncheon hosted by the airline at a city restaurant.
Speaking at the event, Steve Allen said Sylhet and Muscat had longstanding social and economic ties, and the new direct service would further strengthen those connections.
SalamAir will initially operate three flights a week on the Sylhet-Muscat route. The frequency is expected to rise to five flights a week from October in response to growing demand. The airline also plans to introduce daily flights from January 2027, subject to necessary approvals.
The new service is also expected to reduce the cost of Umrah travel for passengers from Sylhet. Several travel agencies have already announced Umrah packages covering the Sylhet-Muscat-Jeddah route via SalamAir for around Tk1.2 lakh.
SalamAir currently operates 24 weekly flights from Bangladesh, including 14 from Chattogram, seven from Dhaka and three from Sylhet.
Dubai-based flydubai was the first foreign airline to operate from Osmani International Airport, launching its Sylhet-Dubai service in April 2015. However, the route was suspended in September 2018 due to operational reasons.
SalamAir’s new service therefore marks the return of foreign airline operations to Sylhet after nearly eight years.
