Oman Air joins Oneworld in 2025

[jase05]

Just got back from flying J class QF BNE- MNL, and then Oman Air MNL- Muscat- Paris

First thing to note- I wont ever go back to MNL airport for transit again. I've now done T2 for Philipine Air and that terminal is a mess (and dark). Now I've experienced T1 and T3 and they are not any better. QF flight from BNE arrives MNL at 1am at Terminal 3 and then you have to clear immigration and collect your luggage and make your way to terminal 1. When you finally arrive at T1 at whatever crazy time it is, the Oman Air check-in counters are not open so you are left standing around for several hours. Nothing to do, nowhere to go.
When you get checked in and pass immigration, the T1 business lounge is pretty darn ordinary to pass the 3 hours until the flight leaves. Total layover time was over 6 hours.

Oman Air J class- wow for the new planes and seats. Inflight entertainment is very limited options though. Service and food is similar to the other middle eastern carriers but just because the planes are newer, it is a very nice way to travel. If I fly Oman Air again, I will connect in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur.
The layover in Muscat lounge is absolutely incredible. As good as Etihad and Emirates, not at Qatar levels.

Coming home from Paris the Muscat- Manila leg got delayed and Oman Air staff at the Muscat business lounge jumped into action. They rerouted us to Doha and then BNE on Qatar Air, and gave us a room at the airport hotel for the 7 hours we spent in Muscat. Absolutely could not ask for better anything from them and I'm just relieved that I did not have to go through the Manila madness again. Next time- I will pay a little more to avoid MNL.

By the way- the QF flight BNE- MNL just shows how far behind Qantas is using outdated planes despite the very friendly service.

Often ex CGK is better priced than MNL and I think it’s a much better airport to transit.
KUL is better again but WY tends to use the MAX on that route so just beware of that

 

[Cossie]

Often ex CGK is better priced than MNL and I think it’s a much better airport to transit.
KUL is better again but WY tends to use the MAX on that route so just beware of that

Also the Malaysia planes that we have been on lately have been older A330... No room to put anything and the area for your feet is too small, for me anyway. Bit over their safety video as well.

 

[hwy]

Also the Malaysia planes that we have been on lately have been older A330... No room to put anything and the area for your feet is too small, for me anyway. Bit over their safety video as well.

Yikes.... I guess the new 787-9 are jammed with Filipino workers travelling on home leave to and from the Middle East (MNL terminal 1 economy line was full of people lining up even when I arrived there) so there is the capacity to fill Y class. J class seemed to be predominantly Aussies looking for that cheap lie-flat to get to Europe.
787 MNL to Muscat was 6 months old. Muscat to Paris was 8 months old. Talk about new airplane smells!

 

[jase05]

787 MNL to Muscat was 6 months old. Muscat to Paris was 8 months old. Talk about new airplane smells!

Sure they weren’t just refits or something?
I didn’t think they had received any new aircraft for 3 or 4 years.

 

[German_flyer]

Sure they weren’t just refits or something?
I didn’t think they had received any new aircraft for 3 or 4 years.

The last two 787 deliveries were in 08/2024 (A4O-SK) and 06/2025 (A4O-SJ).
All other 787 have been delivered between 2015 and 2019.