A duty-free employee, wearing a protective face mask due to the Covid-19 pandemic, restocks a shelf at the Muscat international airport in the Omani capital on October 1, 2020. / AFP / MOHAMMED MAHJOUB
A duty-free employee, wearing a protective face mask due to the Covid-19 pandemic, restocks a shelf at the Muscat international airport in the Omani capital on October 1, 2020. / AFP / MOHAMMED MAHJOUB
A duty-free employee, wearing a protective face mask due to the Covid-19 pandemic, restocks a shelf at the Muscat international airport in the Omani capital on October 1, 2020. / AFP / MOHAMMED MAHJOUB
A duty-free employee, wearing a protective face mask due to the Covid-19 pandemic, restocks a shelf at the Muscat international airport in the Omani capital on October 1, 2020. / AFP / MOHAMMED MAHJOU

Coronavirus: ‘Hectic’ reopening at Muscat airport but Omanis left waiting for land border opening


  • English
  • Arabic

Muscat airport fully reopened from incoming and outbound flights on Thursday but land borders remained closed.

Resources at Oman’s busiest airport were stretched as it opened its doors for the first time in six months, with social distancing and other coronavirus measures creating more work for staff.

Oman Air restarted flights to 18 destinations across the world on Thursday, including two weekly flights between Muscat and Cairo and a twice-weekly service to and from Dubai.

Passengers, wearing protective face mask due to the Covid-19 pandemic stand in a queue at Muscat international airport. AFP
Passengers, wearing protective face mask due to the Covid-19 pandemic stand in a queue at Muscat international airport. AFP

“We are working throughout today. The shifts are stretched out because of the pandemic safety rules,” Rashid Salem, one of the Muscat airport’s ground staff, said.

“Many passengers treat the flights as in normal times forgetting that we all need to adhere to regulations. It has been quite hectic at times.”

The committee responsible for Covid-19 said passengers arriving into Muscat airport must take a PCR Covid-19 test on arrival and have medical insurance covering the entire duration of their stay in the country.

Passengers are also required to wear a wristband and follow a 14-day quarantine regardless of test results.

But Oman’s land borders remain shut for regular travellers until further notice. The land borders are only open for goods deliveries, medical supply and travellers with special permits to go through.

The most awaited land border is the Oman-UAE border at Dubai, which according to official statistics, is used by more than 70 per cent of travellers between the two countries, both nationals and residents.

“I am very disappointed that we cannot still drive to the UAE by car. I was looking forward to it. Dubai is my favourite holiday destination and I never visit it by air,: said Maher Al Adawi, 34, a resident of Sohar.

“Let’s hope the border to the UAE will open soon.”

Oman has not published infection statistics since the announcement of a three-day mourning period following the death of the Emir of Kuwait.

But the most recent figures show a total of 935 people have died from the pandemic in Oman so far and 98,585 people have been infected while 88,528 have recovered.

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

While you're here
Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

THE SIXTH SENSE

Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Rating: 5/5

Points tally

1. Australia 52; 2. New Zealand 44; 3. South Africa 36; 4. Sri Lanka 35; 5. UAE 27; 6. India 27; 7. England 26; 8. Singapore 8; 9. Malaysia 3

The Florida Project

Director: Sean Baker

Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe

Four stars

The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman

Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870

Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder

Transmission Seven-speed PDK

Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm

Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm

Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km

UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
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HIJRA

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Director: Shahad Ameen

Rating: 3/5

RESULT

Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

The%20specs
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
How to improve Arabic reading in early years

One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient

The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers

Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades

Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic

First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations

Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades

Improve the appearance of textbooks

Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings

Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught

Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%20Hunger%20Games%3A%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20%26%20Snakes
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World Cup League Two

Results

Oman beat Nepal by 18 runs

Oman beat United States by six wickets

Nepal beat United States by 35 runs

Oman beat Nepal by eight wickets

 

Fixtures

Tuesday, Oman v United States

Wednesday, Nepal v United States