MUSCAT, Oman — Muscat International Airport has told private jet operators to avoid scheduling additional flights outside approved seasonal services as it prioritizes government and commercial traffic during a regional aviation squeeze. The step appears aimed at easing congestion as Middle East airspace disruptions push more travelers, charter operators and repatriation efforts toward a remaining alternative gateway in the Gulf, according to an email seen by Reuters, March 8.
The message said flight movements were being limited to approved seasonal scheduled services only and asked operators to cancel any slots outside that plan. It added that the only extra flights under consideration during the current period are embassy-sponsored repatriation services approved through diplomatic channels, with no commercial sale of seats attached.
Why Muscat Airport is tightening private jet access
The move does not amount to a blanket shutdown of business aviation. In a later response carried by Oman Observer, Muscat International Airport said it continues to welcome and facilitate private jet flights and business aviation operations, a clarification that suggests the new policy is narrower than a full ban.
That distinction matters because Muscat has stayed open while several neighboring hubs have been hit by cancellations, diversions and rolling schedule changes. Even a modest surge in extra private movements can compete with commercial operations and state-backed evacuation flights for limited airport capacity.
How Muscat Airport is balancing commercial traffic and repatriation demand
Airport and airline measures already show a broader effort to keep traffic manageable. Oman Airports said in a separate notice restricting terminal entry that only ticketed passengers whose departures are within eight hours, along with people holding valid airport permits, should enter the terminal.
Meanwhile, Oman Air has listed additional flights from Muscat on March 8 and March 9 and has also published a booking flexibility notice allowing unused ticket value to be applied to a new worldwide booking if the reissue is completed by March 29.
Muscat Airport’s role has been building for days
The pressure on Muscat did not appear overnight. In a March 3 Reuters report on the scramble to leave the Gulf, stranded travelers were already rerouting through Oman as airspace closures upended normal connections.
By March 6, Reuters had reported that private jets were emerging as an alternative exit route for travelers with the means to pay, underscoring how quickly Muscat was becoming a fallback point as the wider network seized up.
For now, Muscat remains open, but the latest message to charter operators shows the airport is moving to cap unscheduled traffic. The immediate priority is clear: protect scheduled commercial operations and preserve room for official repatriation flights while the broader disruption continues.
