Robots – and 5 other things – you’ll find at Muscat’s brand-new airport

The Omani capital’s new airport opened on March 20 with welcome robots and space for Airbus A380s

One of the GCC’s favourite weekend escapes (just be sure you’re aware of its just-enacted new visa policy) has a brand-new airport to welcome guests: the Omani capital inaugurated the new Muscat International Airport on March 20. The first flight landed at the airport at 5:30pm, while the first flight departed at 6:50pm.

Travellers arriving at the new terminal will be greeted by a duo of robots mimicking airport staff – a world first. But that’s not all you’ll find.

1. Phase one boasts 580,000sqm of stylish space that includes 86 check-in counters, 10 baggage-claim belts, 40 departure and arrival gates, 29 lounges and 29 aircraft stands with jet-bridges (goodbye shuttles!).
2. Guests will find a “silent” building which makes minimal announces – all the info you need can be found at screens around the terminal, though the pros and cons of abolishing final-call announcements has been something we’ve been debating lately.
3. Twelve million passengers can be handled per year – with a total of 48 million per year once all four phases have completed.
4. The world’s largest planes can now touch down, with space for both Airbus A380s and Boeing 747s.
5. Plane spotters in the capital will have plenty to keep them busy with 40 aircraft taking off each hour.

Checking out this new airport is just another reason to visit Oman.