Oman under weather warning: Flights diverted from Salalah Airport

Image credit: Oman Met/X

Salalah Airport experienced significant disruptions on August 18 due to severe weather conditions affecting parts of Oman. Multiple flights were diverted to alternative airports as a precaution, impacting both inbound and outbound travel.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had earlier issued a weather forecast predicting a low-pressure system that would bring heavy rain and thunderstorms to Oman from Monday to Wednesday, with the most severe conditions expected on Monday and Tuesday.

The Civil Aviation Authority (#CAA) has issued a statement regarding the diversion of several flights bound for #Salalah_airport to other airports due to exceptional weather conditions. pic.twitter.com/RnWqcwtiPM

— هيئة الطّيران المدني (@CAAOMN) August 18, 2024

Weather alerts have been issued for several governorates, including South and North Al Sharqiyah, Al Dakhiliyah, Al Wusta, Dhofar, Muscat, South Al Batinah, Al Dhahirah, and the Hajar Mountains.

Weather Report (1)

Weather Condition Expected during (19th – 21st of August 2024) pic.twitter.com/zCwq9wP42e

— الأرصاد العمانية (@OmanMeteorology) August 17, 2024

The CAA confirmed that due to these exceptional weather conditions, several flights bound for Salalah were redirected to other airports to ensure passenger safety. The authority is currently collaborating with service providers to upgrade the airport’s landing systems, aiming to enhance its capacity to operate safely during adverse weather events.

Operations at Salalah Airport were temporarily suspended for a few hours on Saturday. On Sunday, some incoming flights were forced to return to their points of origin, leaving passengers stranded at both ends with limited information.

A flight from flydubai (FZ 39) from Dubai International (DXB) to Salalah Airport (SLL) on Sunday was among those affected, returning to Dubai “due to ongoing adverse weather conditions in Salalah,” according to local media reports. Flydubai advised passengers to monitor flight status updates on their website.

Oman Air also faced significant delays on flights between Salalah and Muscat as a result of the airport closure. Travellers have been urged to check with their airlines for the latest updates and to exercise caution due to the severe weather.

The CAA highlighted that flight disruptions caused by unforeseen weather conditions, such as low visibility or strong winds, are a common occurrence at airports worldwide.

In addition to the airport disruptions, the National Centre for Early Warning issued a flash flood warning for multiple regions and urged residents to stay informed and take necessary precautions as the severe weather system continues to affect the country.

Read: Oman’s Salalah port sees fall in container volumes