Oman Air picks Mediaedge for 2m business

Mediaedge:cia Manchester has won the £2m media planning and buying brief for national airline Oman Air. It won the business after pitching against a number of undisclosed agencies.

It is understood the agency is working on a campaign that is expected to focus on outdoor and press, that will support the airline’s daily non-stop service between Gatwick Airport and Muscat in Oman.

The service, which will start in November, is a key part of the airline’s long-haul expansion strategy, aimed at offering travellers an alternative to Heathrow Airport for departures.

It is also looking to extend its flights to European cities Milan and Frankfurt as well as Asian cities Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Singapore and Manila.

The launch of the Muscat route will put the airline in competition with British Airways, Gulf Air, Qatar Airways and Emirates, which also have daily flights to Muscat.

Oman Air, which was set up in 1981, operates scheduled domestic and international passenger services, as well as charter flights.

The airline was formed as a result of a merger of the former Gulf Air Light Aircraft division and Oman International Services. The Oman government owns 82.4% of the airline.