Oman Air, the Sultanate’s flagship carrier, has joined forces with the National Bank of Oman (NBO) to introduce an exclusive cashback offer for NBO cardholders, reinforcing both brands’ commitment to rewarding customer loyalty and enhancing the value of air travel in Oman.

The limited-time campaign allows NBO customers to earn up to OMR 100 cashback when booking tickets through Oman Air’s official website or mobile application using eligible NBO debit, credit, or prepaid cards. The initiative is part of an ongoing effort by both institutions to combine premium financial services with elevated travel experiences for Omani consumers.

Offer Details and Eligibility

Through the promotion, NBO Visa Retail Credit Cardholders can participate simply by booking Oman Air flights via official digital platforms or airline offices. The cashback incentive is structured to reward top spenders: the top 36 cardholders with the highest international transaction amounts during the campaign period will each receive cashback rewards.

Each participant is eligible for one qualifying cashback reward per campaign cycle, with a maximum reward value of OMR 100. This design encourages cardholders to increase their transaction activity during the promotional period while maintaining fairness across the customer base.

Although the promotion is time-bound, similar offers have been reintroduced periodically — with the most recent campaign concluding in October 2023 — demonstrating the success and popularity of the initiative among NBO’s travel-savvy clientele.

How the Campaign Works

To qualify, customers must:

• Purchase Oman Air tickets using an NBO Visa Retail Credit Card through the airline’s official channels (website, mobile app, or ticket offices).
• Ensure that the transaction qualifies as an international spend.
• Be among the top 36 highest international spenders during the promotional window.

At the end of the campaign, eligible winners are rewarded with their cashback, which is credited to their accounts. Each customer can claim the reward only once per offer period, preventing multiple redemptions and ensuring wide participation.

Added Value for NBO Cardholders

NBO’s premium cards — Infinite, Signature, and Platinum — are particularly well-suited for frequent travelers and come with a host of complementary travel and lifestyle privileges. These include:

• Up to 1% cashback on all purchases (0.5% for Gold cardholders).
• Complimentary international travel insurance for added peace of mind.
• Airport lounge access across major international terminals.
• Exclusive lifestyle deals, such as discounted movie tickets and access to The Entertainer program.
• Special offers with Oman Air Holidays, including promotional packages and seasonal discounts.

These benefits, combined with the new cashback campaign, position NBO credit cards as a compelling choice for frequent flyers and luxury travelers seeking maximum value from their financial products.

Representatives from the National Bank of Oman highlighted that the collaboration reflects NBO’s strategic focus on enhancing customer satisfaction through meaningful, value-driven partnerships. “Our goal is to continuously reward our customers and enrich their lifestyles by combining banking convenience with premium travel experiences,” an NBO spokesperson stated.

Oman Air officials echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that the partnership aligns with the airline’s mission to provide exceptional travel experiences and strengthen loyalty among Omani travelers. “By partnering with NBO, we are offering our customers more than just travel — we are providing tangible value that extends beyond the flight,” an Oman Air representative said.

The Oman Air–NBO collaboration illustrates a growing synergy between the financial and aviation sectors in Oman, aimed at creating integrated experiences that meet the evolving expectations of modern consumers. By linking premium banking products with exclusive travel rewards, both entities are redefining customer engagement and loyalty in a competitive market.

With this initiative, Oman Air and NBO are not only rewarding travelers but also setting a new standard for partnership-driven innovation in Oman’s banking and aviation industries.

The Norwegian Group carried 2.9 million passengers in August 2026, including 2.5 million passengers on Norwegian and 359,000 on Widerøe.

Norwegian increased its capacity by 3% year on year, while passenger traffic climbed 4%. Its load factor improved by 0.4 percentage points to 86.3%. The airline operated an average of 94 aircraft during the month.

Regularity stood at 98.9%, rising to 99.6% when cancellations related to the Avinor air traffic controllers’ strike are excluded. The industrial action disrupted travel for more than 20,000 passengers. Norwegian’s punctuality rate, measured by departures within 15 minutes of schedule, was 80.8%.

Widerøe increased capacity by 2%, while traffic remained unchanged. Its load factor consequently declined by 1.8 percentage points to 75.8%. The regional airline recorded punctuality of 93.3%, an improvement of 1.5 percentage points, while regularity reached 97.4%.

Norwegian said booking activity for the autumn remained strong, particularly around the school holidays. Meanwhile, its Norwegian Reward loyalty programme has surpassed 10 million members and is introducing five new membership tiers.

Source: QCAA

African airlines recorded a 6.4% year-on-year increase in passenger demand in July 2026, according to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Capacity across African carriers increased by 9.0% compared with July 2025, while the passenger load factor stood at 74.1%. Domestic revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) in the region rose 0.6% during the month.

Globally, total passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres, increased just 0.2% from July 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand grew 1.2%, while available seat kilometres, the industry measure of capacity, increased 0.3%.

The global load factor was 85.2%. International demand declined 0.1% year on year. When the Middle East was excluded, international demand increased 1.5%, with capacity also rising 0.3% and the load factor reaching 85.2%.

Domestic passenger demand worldwide grew 0.6% compared with July 2025, while domestic capacity increased 0.2%. The domestic load factor stood at 85.3%.

Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist, said the peak Northern Hemisphere summer travel season had produced a largely positive result despite weaker performance by carriers in North America and the Middle East.

She also noted that traffic through Gulf aviation hubs was continuing to recover.

Thomsen said airlines remained confident about demand for the final months of the year despite elevated fuel costs, economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. Carriers are planning to increase seat capacity by almost 3% in September, she added.

Source: Nigerian Tribune

Global air passenger demand recorded modest growth in July 2026, as strong performances in several regions helped offset declines among carriers in North America and the Middle East, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Total revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) increased by 0.2% compared with July 2025. Excluding Middle Eastern airlines, global passenger demand rose by 1.2%.

Worldwide capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), grew by 0.3% year-on-year, while the global passenger load factor slipped by 0.1 percentage points to 85.2%.

International traffic declined by 0.1% compared with the same month last year. However, excluding Middle Eastern carriers, international demand increased by 1.5%.

Domestic passenger demand rose by 0.6%, supported by a 0.2% increase in capacity. The domestic load factor reached 85.3%.

Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA's Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist, said the peak Northern Hemisphere summer travel season had delivered an overall positive picture for aviation despite challenges in key markets.

“Overall growth of 0.2% in July was achieved despite year-on-year collective declines by carriers in North America and the Middle East,” she said, adding that traffic through Gulf hubs continued to recover.

Thomsen noted that high fuel prices, economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions remain challenges for the industry. However, airlines remain confident about demand later in the year, with seat capacity expected to expand by almost 3% in September.

European airlines posted demand growth of 3.1%, supported in particular by a 12.1% surge in traffic between Europe and Asia.

Latin American carriers recorded a 7.1% increase in demand, while African airlines reported growth of 6.4%.

Elsewhere, Asia-Pacific demand declined by 0.7%, and North American carriers saw a 2.3% fall. Middle Eastern airlines reported the sharpest decline, with demand down 9.5%, although the pace of the downturn continued to ease.

Domestic traffic rose 0.6% worldwide, with China and Brazil reporting strong growth. In contrast, domestic markets in the United States, Australia and India recorded declines.

Source: ZAWYA

Typhoon Dolphin brought torrential rain to Shanghai on Monday, August 10, 2026, flooding roads and commercial areas and severely disrupting air travel in the city.

The weather system forced Shanghai’s two airports to cancel a combined 943 flights, while their overall passenger capacity was reduced by nearly 40%.

The disruption followed Dolphin’s landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday evening. The typhoon struck areas south and west of Shanghai with maximum sustained winds of 151 kilometres per hour near its centre.

Dolphin later weakened into a tropical storm, but its remaining rain bands continued to bring heavy precipitation across large parts of eastern China.

Shanghai, the country’s second-most populous city, experienced widespread flooding, including in several major commercial districts.

China Eastern Airlines said it was working to gradually restore flights to Shanghai, Zhejiang and other affected destinations as weather conditions improve.

Source: Asia News Network

Thousands of WestJet cabin crew members began strike action on Aug. 2 after nearly 11 months of contract negotiations failed to result in a new labor agreement, triggering widespread disruptions across the airline's network.

The industrial action involves around 4,400 flight attendants represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 8125. The strike officially started after talks between the union and the airline ended without a new collective agreement.

The labor dispute has already forced WestJet to cancel more than 300 flights, affecting travel plans across its domestic and international routes.

Ahead of the strike, the airline had begun grounding portions of its Boeing 737 fleet as a precautionary measure to minimize operational disruption and reduce the risk of leaving passengers and aircraft stranded during the work stoppage.

Source: Aero Time