Muscat International Airport to introduce new passenger fees

Muscat International Airport will reportedly introduce new fees for passengers this month.

The new fees come in addition to an increase to Oman’s airport tax introduced last year.

Under the plans, passengers departing from the airport will pay OMR0.300 ($0.78) for Common Use Passenger Processing Systems (CUPPS), which includes common areas, check-in computers and gate positions, according to Times of Oman.

International passengers departing from Oman’s airport will also have to pay an OMR1 ($2.60) security fee.

Both the new fees will be added to the cost of airline tickets, with the security charge expected to be implemented from mid-January after being postponed from the start of the month.

“Both the charges are not unique. A large number of countries have already introduced security fee and CUPPS charges long time back,” a senior airline official told the publication.

CUPPS charges will be increased to OMR0.600 upon the opening of the airport’s delayed new passenger terminal, according to a circular issued by Oman Airports Management Company.

Oman was one of several Gulf countries to introduce or increase airport fees last year as low oil prices hit government revenues.

Read: Qatar becomes latest GCC state to levy airport tax on passengers

The airport tax increase from OMR8 to OMR10 came into effect for flights after July 1.