COVID has put a stop to the development and sometimes even the partial or total operation of certain airlines.
This was the case for Oman Air, which, after an 18-month shutdown on the French market, made its return to the Paris Charles-de-Gaulle hub with great fanfare yesterday.
TravelGuys was therefore invited, along with a number of bloggers, to discover the new experience offered by the Omani airline to passengers departing from Paris.
Back to terminal 2A
The Oman Air airline departs from terminal 2A at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, as before the pandemic. Naturally, priority desks are available for Business class passengers, or for the airline’s frequent flyers.
Although talks are underway, notably with Oneworld, Oman Air is not yet part of an alliance. And although the airline has recently moved closer commercially to the powerful Qatar Airways, synergies for passengers remain limited to code-sharing.
Nevertheless, a reliable source tells me that stronger synergies between the two Gulf airlines are imminent.
For the rest, the airline shares the facilities of terminal 2A and the junction with 2C offered by Aéroports de Paris.
A lounge with a French accent, but adapted to Gulf passengers
Before the crisis and the cessation of operations, Oman Air used the lounge of the Asian airline Cathay Pacific, located in the 2A/2C junction building, along with most of the lounges in the new combined airside terminal.
Unfortunately, the Hong Kong airline’s lounge remains closed, and unlike many of the premium airlines at 2A, which still don’t offer lounges, Oman Air has opted for the Paul Maxence lounge, a multi-company lounge for its own passengers.
Also located in the 2A/C junction building, it is the only one in the terminal to offer an outdoor terrace that will delight smokers.
Currently used only by Air Tahiti Nui, Oman Air is the second customer for this newly inaugurated lounge.
The welcome is perfect, but the lounge itself is rather small, seating no more than 30 people. The spaces are well organized, with a few alcoves, a lounging area and another near the buffet.
We regret the absence of slightly higher tables for more comfortable working or eating.
The buffet is of satisfactory quality, although the cheeses could be a little better, but the hot dishes are of good quality. I won’t try the desserts, but the chocolate moelleux looked very good.
Constant refills of champagne are made, and a decent Nicolas Feuillate is served.
A consistent, high-quality hard product on board
In a rare event, we were able to witness the arrival of the aircraft from Muscat on the tarmac.
Once the passengers have disembarked, a quick ceremony with photos of the crew takes place on the tarmac.
Finally, we’ll be able to enter the cabin of this Dreamliner. Exceptionally, this is the version of the aircraft equipped with a First, normally used for London flights.
A high-quality First product
Once again, this product is not usually available from Paris. Nevertheless, it’s beautifully crafted, with an Oasis suite from Collins Aerospace, obviously customized to the airline’s needs.
The tones are classic Middle Eastern, in a cameo of browns and beiges. There’s plenty of room, of course.
A Business product that’s better than it looks
At first glance, the Business product seems a little behind the products offered by the Gulf airlines, due to its 1-2-1 configuration.
Nevertheless, if you dig a little deeper, this 2-2-2 product is an Apex Suite, and offers full flat and full access even for window seats, thanks to innovative staggering.
Above all, the legroom is absolutely perfect, offering First-class sleeping comfort.
A solid but tight Economy product
The economical product looks good, but the configuration is a little tight for someone of my size. In such cases, use the bulkhead or emergency exit.
An airline to magnify Oman as a destination, complementing the extensive network to the Middle East and Asia.
Talking to Oman Air’s French management, it’s clear that the airline has many ambitions, but the first is to promote Oman as a destination.
And rightly so, this country is magnificent and I can’t wait to visit it.
Bottom line
Welcome back to Oman Air in Paris! In addition to Oman, keep an eye out for promotions throughout Asia… It’s worth the money!
