Gate News message, April 22 — Passenger traffic at Muscat International Airport, Oman’s main hub, fell nearly 40 percent in March 2026 compared with January 2026 due to the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran and subsequent airspace closures across the Gulf region. International passenger arrivals dropped from 1.2 million in January to 728,588 in March, according to data from Oman’s National Center for Statistics and Information cited by the Oman Observer.
Flight operations also declined sharply, with the number of flights falling from 7,594 in January to 5,515 in March. Despite regional disruptions, Oman kept its airports operational, with state-backed Oman Air and budget carrier Salam Air providing ground transport from Sharjah to evacuate stranded tourists from the UAE. Combined passenger traffic in the first quarter of 2026 fell 2.4 percent to 2.86 million from 2.93 million in 2025.
Looking ahead, Oman signed $130 million in investment agreements this month to develop a new “airport city” around Muscat International Airport. In March, the government completed its acquisition of SalamAir to streamline the aviation sector. Under its 2040 strategy, Oman aims to handle over 40 million passengers annually, transport about 1 million tonnes of air cargo, and raise aviation’s contribution to GDP to more than 3.5 percent. Muscat International Airport handled 11.8 million passengers in 2025, accounting for 80 percent of Oman’s total 14.9 million passengers.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
IMF's Former Chief Economist Warns Double Deregulation Could Trigger Systemic Financial Crisis
Gate News message, April 27 — Kenneth Rogoff, former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, has warned that the Trump administration's push for financial deregulation—particularly loosening bank capital requirements and regulatory transparency—is significantly raising the risk of a
GateNews43m ago
U.S. and Iran Moving Toward Diplomatic Resolution Framework, Gulf States Demand Inclusion
Gate News message, April 27 — According to Al Jazeera, diplomatic sources indicate that recent developments have reinforced the need for the United States and Iran to permanently end their adversarial relationship, with various parties gradually approaching a framework that could enable a
GateNews1h ago
U.S.-Iran talks collapse triggers a sharp drop in gold prices, while Bitcoin quickly surges past $79k
Bitcoin rose above $79,000 during the Asian trading session on April 27. At the same time, the spot gold price fell to a low of $4,672.11 per ounce, with an intraday decline of more than $38. The backdrop is that U.S. President Trump canceled the itinerary of his special envoy to Islamabad, Pakistan, and the U.S.-Iran peace negotiations have hit a stalemate. Federal Reserve Chair Powell is scheduled to preside over his final news conference of his tenure at the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) on April 29.
MarketWhisper2h ago
Trump Says He Has Had 'Good Communication' with Putin and Zelensky, Seeks to Advance Conflict Resolution
Gate News message, April 26 — U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he has had "good communication" with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and is working to advance a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Trump said the U.S. is pushing forward on
GateNews3h ago
US Sanctions Iran-Linked Crypto Wallets Holding $344M Frozen by Tether
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced sanctions on multiple wallets linked to Iran as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to increase economic pressure on the country amid an ongoing ceasefire, according to CNN. The action followed Tether's freeze of $344 million in USDT on Tron,
CryptoFrontier5h ago
CFTC Faces Enforcement Crisis as 24% Staff Cuts Hit Insider Trading Oversight in Crypto and Prediction Markets
Gate News message, April 26 — The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has cut 24% of its workforce since Donald Trump returned to office, leaving the agency at its lowest staffing level in 15 years amid growing insider-trading risks across crypto, oil futures, and prediction markets. Th
GateNews5h ago
