Muscat National Development and Investment Company (ASAAS) confirmed last week that Oman's first ever local budget airline will take to the air soon and will be named Salam Air, derived from the Arabic greeting which literally means ‘the peace’, but is also used as a general greeting.

The name was selected through a nationwide public poll in the Sultanate conducted on the online social networking platform, Twitter as well as via the ASAAS’ corporate website. “From the get-go, we were adamant about involving the general public in the process,” explained Eng. Khalid bin Hilal Al Yahmadi, Chief Executive Officer, ASAAS.

The brand will pay homage to Oman’s deeply-rooted culture and long-standing history as an ambassador of peace was among eight names that were initially shortlisted from the poll following internal discussions by ASAAS Board Members and key government entities. A subsequent poll of around 3,000 then voted on the final selection.

“This process is a clear reflection of the way we do business. We are transparent and our approach is to be part and parcel of the community with all of our multi-industry projects,” said Eng. Al Yahmadi.

"The beauty of the word Salam is that it is a homonym. It means safety which is of fundamental importance in the aviation industry but also peace. It is simple, memorable and meaningful and that is exactly what we were looking for in a name,” he added.

Aviation and tourism are key sectors in Oman’s strategy to develop economic diversification. The new airline will operate alongside national entity Oman Air to fuel further growth and its formation was first revealed in May 2015 when the Sultanate’s Public Authority for Civil Aviation launched an initial ‘Request for Information’ (RFI) process inviting any parties interested in setting up a low-cost commercial air transport services operator based in the country.

“The national budget airline will provide access to economical and efficient means of transport and further advance the aviation sector in Oman. The constant growth of the aviation sector in the region is what drove us to explore the sector and create value for Oman,” concluded Eng. Al Yahmadi.