Oman Air has revamped its premium cabin, with the CEO stating that while Oneworld membership is delayed, it remains on track.

Oman Air aims to secure its spot in the global airline alliance Oneworld by the second quarter of next year, as shared by CEO Con Korfiatis.

This timeline indicates a multi-month setback in the lengthy membership process for the Muscat-based airline, which initially planned to join Oneworld and its 13 member airlines in 2022, expecting to complete it this year. The alliance reaffirmed this timeline in June, even as it announced Fiji Airlines as a new member.

During his address at the Routes World conference in Bahrain on October 7, Korfiatis, who took on the CEO role in May, did not disclose the reasons for the prolonged Oneworld membership process, instead emphasizing the potential benefits for the airline's connectivity.

He noted that the alliance enables significant expansion opportunities without the need for Oman Air to deploy its own aircraft.

Oman Air's network spans from London in the west to Manila, Philippines, in the east, also covering Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar in Tanzania.

Worth considering: Do airline credit cards still hold value?

The airline boasts a fleet of 33 aircraft, which includes 23 Boeing 737s and 10 Boeing 787s, as per fleet data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. Additionally, it has three 737 MAX and eight 787 aircraft on order.

When inquired about the possibility of Oman Air launching U.S. flights, Korfiatis stated that it's not being considered at the moment.

First Class has now been rebranded as 'Business Studio.'

Although securing Oneworld membership is a priority for Oman Air, the airline has recently made a notable change to its onboard offerings. In August, it ceased the sale of first-class tickets and introduced the cabin as the new "Business Studio."

With the transition to Business Studio, high-end Champagnes and caviar have been replaced. Instead, the airline is now providing an enhanced business-class service within the same lie-flat suites that were once designated as first class.

Korfiatis explained that the decision stemmed from low first-class demand and input from business travelers, who often can't book the suites due to corporate travel restrictions. Since the rebranding and fare reductions, seat bookings have surged by 50%, he noted.

"We considered whether it would be sensible to remove the configuration and align the aircraft with the rest of the 787-9 fleet," Korfiatis stated. "It would have cost $20 to $25 million, so removing it didn't make financial sense."

Currently, Oman Air's Business Studios are only featured on two of the airline's 787s, which service flights from Muscat to Bangkok and London, he added.