New barrier means park and pay for Muscat airport pick-ups

One driver said: “If it helps to ease congestion outside the airport halls then it’s good. It’s always jam-packed and horns blaring there. If it means they only have one drive round then they have to park up and pay or leave the airport then that means less traffic just circling and waiting, so less chance of an accident and a more organised traffic management system.”

Maryam Balushi noticed the new electronic gate as she drove to the airport on Friday.

“I first noticed the traffic accumulating off the highway exit into the airport. There were more cars than I had ever seen, all waiting to pull up to the airport building. I didn’t think much of it, but later noticed the electronic gate which would prevent me from being able to circle around the parking lot, which I usually do.

“I luckily saw it in time and was able to pull into the parking lot. it was my first time paying to park for a pick-up. I think its a smart revenue move,” she said.

Mwasalat will, starting October, begin operating a taxi service from Muscat international airport, which they say will bring taxi fares at Muscat Airport down, in line with other GCC companies.

Sohar airport is receiving an increasing amount of flights. Last week, Qatar airways began operating three weekly flights, increasing Sohar Airport’s total to nine.

Muscat International Airport’s new passenger terminal is 97 per cent complete, officials announced.

The airport will serve 20 million travellers a year when it opens, which will rise to 48 million passengers in the future.

The current airport has 365 parking spots, according to OAMC.