Oman Air Connecting Flights

This is an Oman Air connecting flights guide.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to book Oman Air connecting flights, how to claim compensation and what are your rights as a passenger. The guide also contains information about baggage policy and air passengers rights. Oman Air is the national airline of Oman. Based at Muscat International Airport, the airline operates flights to 50 destinations in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Africa.

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Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.

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1. Oman Air Connecting Flights

Oman Air is a full-service traditional airline.

Just like any other full-service airline, Oman Air offers airline-protected connecting flights. If you have an airline-protected flight, you don’t have to worry about missed connection, as you are not only protected against flight delays and cancellations, but also in case of missed connection.

If you miss your connection because of flight delay/cancellation, you will be put on a new flight free of charge. That’s just one of the reasons why airline-protected connecting flights are better than self transfers.

Airline-protected connecting flights are:

• Safer. Your airline takes care of flight problems.
• More convenient. Baggage transfer is automatic.
• Easier to book. You book several flights as a single journey.

Yes, Oman Air sells airline-protected connecting flights.

1.1 Connecting Flights, One Airline

Often a connecting flight will be operated only by Oman Air.

It will be an Oman Air plane, and Oman Air staff.

But it’s not always the case with Oman Air connecting flights.

1.2 Oman Air Codeshare Partners

Sometimes airlines share their flights.

They do so to widen their flight network. So, you have an Oman Air connecting flight, but it might be operated by another airline (Oman Air’s partner). You will fly with this airline, on their airplane. Connecting flights with different airlines is a common practice in aviation. These kind of flights are called codeshare flights, and airlines collaborating — codeshare partners.

What you should know is that:

• If you miss a connecting flight through no fault of your own, contact Oman Air. They will provide you with a new flight ticket (for free). As long as it’s an Oman Air connection booked from Oman Air (they are called marketing airline), they are responsible for finding solutions.
• If your flight is heavily delayed, cancelled or overbooked, compensation is paid by airline operating this particular flight. If it’s operated by some other airline, not Oman Air, then they are called operating airline — they have to pay compensation when it’s due.

See a list of Oman Air codeshare partners here.

2. What If Oman Air Cancels a Flight?

Why is Oman Air cancelling flights?

This happens due to a number of reasons. Staff shortage, technical problems, airport congestion, strikes, bad weather, security issues, etc.

2.1 One of Your Flights Is Cancelled

Oman Air is an airline registered in Oman.

It’s not a European airline. But still, on some of its flights you are protected under the European law. Has a part of your Oman Air connecting flight been cancelled? You may be protected by the EU or UK law.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, Oman Air must:

• Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
• Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).

This applies to all their flights departing from Europe.

If your Oman Air flight (departing from Europe) is cancelled, and as a result you miss your connection, it’s the airline’s responsibility to offer you a new flight, or a full refund. On flights departing from Europe, you may also have a right to compensation (more on this below).

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Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.

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2.2 All Your Flights Are Cancelled

Overall, for you as a passenger, the options are the same.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, Oman Air must:

• Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
• Offer you assistance at the airport if it’s a last-minute cancellation and you are already at the airport (you have a right to care).

This applies to all their flights departing from Europe.

Refund must be paid within seven days.

You may have a right to EU flight cancellation compensation.

2.3 Oman Air Refund for Cancellation

Yes, you have a right to ask for a refund.

If your cancelled Oman Air flight was scheduled to depart from a European airport, you can opt for a refund instead of a new flight. If the alternate flight offered to you doesn’t fit your travel plans, request a refund.

This refund has to be paid in full, within 7 days. It must be transferred to your bank account. You don’t have to accept any vouchers or miles.

3. Oman Air Missed Connecting Flight

Why do people miss their connecting flights?

The reasons are different. You could miss a flight because of airport congestion or long queues. Or your previous flight was delayed or cancelled, and because of that you could miss your next flight. Or, sometimes, you could simply make a mistake and wait at the wrong gate or fall asleep while waiting for your flight.

3.1 What Happens If You Miss Oman Air Connection?

If it’s your fault that it happened — it’s your responsibility.

If it’s not your fault, then your airline has to take care of that. If you booked a flight from Oman Air, it doesn’t even matter if the flight is operated by Oman Air or not, you should contact Oman Air. It’s their responsibility to find a solution. You missed a connecting flight (and it was not your fault), Oman Air must offer you a solution.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, they must:

• Take you to your final destination as soon as possible.
• Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).

Again, the last two points apply only to flights from Europe.

On other routes, the airline still has to offer you a new flight.

Read more: Missed Connecting Flight Due to Delay 

3.2 Right to Compensation from Oman Air

Sometimes you have a right to compensation.

If your Oman Air flight:

• Departs from the EU, EEA or UK
• Is 3+ hours late and
• Is delayed or cancelled due to the fault of the airline

Then you may be entitled to compensation from Oman Air.

Flight cancelled less than 2 weeks before the trip?

You might be entitled to flight cancellation compensation.

3.3 Right to Care from Oman Air

On all Oman Air flights from Europe you have a right to care.

According to the EU Regulation 261/2004 airline should provide:

• Free food and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time.
• Free hotel accommodation if a stay of one or more nights is necessary.
• Free airport transfer to hotel and back.
• Plus, two telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails.

In case of Oman Air, the regulation applies only to flights departing from European airports. With European airlines (such as KLM, Lufthansa, SAS, LOT, Austrian Airlines, etc.) it applies to all flights.

4. How to Book Connecting Flights with Oman Air?

You can do it directly from Oman Air or via a third-party.

We would recommend you to book Oman Air flights directly from the airline (using their website). But there’s a second option, too. You can book Oman Air flights using a third-party flight booking website and online travel agents such as kiwi.com, edreams.com or expedia.com.

Read more: How to Book Connecting Flights?

5. Oman Air? Connecting Flights: Baggage

Since Oman Air? is a traditional airline, everything’s very easy.

Baggage rules on connecting flights with Oman Air? are simple.

In short, Oman Air takes care of your baggage. You will check in your bag before the first flight. In most cases, bags will be sent all the way to the final stop. Unless you have booked a self transfer (separately booked flights) or you are traveling through a country that requires everyone to collect and recheck their baggage (e.g., the United States).

5.1 Baggage Transfer: Different Airlines

What happens if there are several airlines?

What if one of your flights is operated by different airline, not Oman Air? As we already talked, you may experience this, because Oman Air does share some of its flights with its codeshare partners. In this situation the rules are the same — your baggage is being taken care of by an airline. In most situations you won’t have to worry about it.

Read more: 

• Connecting Flight Baggage Transfer: Different Airlines
• Lost Baggage on Connecting Flights
• Delayed Baggage on Connecting Flights
• What is Checked Baggage?

5.2 Oman Air Free Baggage Allowance

Baggage allowance varies — it’s not the same on all flights.

It depends on the airline, destination, ticket type and travel class.

Check your booking confirmation to see your baggage allowance.

When you are booking your flight, the baggage allowance usually is shown when you choose your travel class and ticket type. If you don’t see information about baggage, you can find it in the airline’s FAQ or Information section.

5.3 Economy Light

This is the cheapest option for long-haul flights.

Economy Light comes without free baggage allowance.

We see this all across the industry. Full-service traditional airlines are offering also tickets without free checked baggage allowance. The wording is also often the same — Economy Light. So, if you see this, most likely it’s without checked baggage (carry on baggage only).

When you see cheap Oman Air flights, pay attention to this. Because Oman Air also offers similar ticket type to Economy Light. It is called “Super Saver”. If you travel with checked luggage, this option is not for you. 

This ticket type is is not available for every flight, though. It sells out fast.

Read more: What Is Carry-on Bag / Baggage?

6. Connecting Flight Examples

Here are two connecting flight examples with Oman Air.

6.1 Protected Connecting Flights with Oman Air (Most Common)

For this example I’ll use the website of Oman Air.

For example, you want to fly from Athens (Greece) to Bangkok (Thailand).

You have found flights for October 6, and these are the options:

On their website Oman Air sells only protected connecting flights. However, as we can see, the connecting flights are not fully operated by Oman Air. The first leg of both connecting flights is operated by Qatar Airways, one of Oman Air codeshare partners.

Pay attention also to total flight duration, number of stops and price.

They are different for every flight.

6.2 Self-Transfer Flights with Oman Air

Now, let’s assume, that your itinerary is slightly more complex.

You want to fly from Athens to Bangkok, and from Bangkok onwards to Krabi, where you have booked a stay at a seaside resort. But before that you also want to spend a day in Bangkok, to explore Thailand’s capital.

1. You can book a connecting flight to Bangkok, like in the example above. Let’s say, you’re taking the cheapest option, the first one, which arrives in Bangkok at 6:00 pm. 
2. And then you go to kiwi.com, skyscanner.net or some other flight search engine, or directly to the airline website, and book a flight from Bangkok to Krabi. Leaving yourself, let’s say, 30 hours in Bangkok – a 30-hour stopover in Bangkok — enough for the first time.

Your Athens — Bangkok connecting flight is airline-protected. If your first flight is delayed or cancelled, Oman Air will put you on another flight for free. However, the last leg, Bangkok – Krabi is a separately booked flight. You will need to check in for this flight separately. If you have checked baggage, you will need to collect and recheck it, too. Don’t forget about that, and leave yourself plenty of time for this stopover (if it’s less than 24 hours, then it’s a layover).

What is your experience with Oman Air? Have you ever missed a connecting flight with Oman Air? How did the airline solve this? Did you receive compensation, free hotel / free food or refund from Oman Air?

Featured photo by SevenStorm JUHASZIMRUS