Muscat’s aviation regulator has clarified that airlines are not required to compensate passengers when flight delays or cancellations are caused by force majeure, setting out a firm boundary between consumer protection and operational risks beyond an airline’s control. The Civil Aviation Authority’s position places extraordinary circumstances outside the standard compensation framework, while keeping intact passenger entitlements where disruption arises from airline-controlled decisions, overbooking, poor communication, denied boarding, baggage mishandling or failure to provide required care. The clarification comes as Oman’s aviation market handles higher passenger volumes, more route activity and wider regional disruption risks that can affect schedules at short notice.
Force majeure under the passenger rights framework covers extraordinary and unforeseen events that cannot reasonably be avoided by an air carrier. The listed circumstances include war, political unrest, fuel supplier problems, illegal activity, sabotage, security reasons, weather factors, airport closures, medical reasons, bird strikes, manufacturing defects, unexpected defects affecting flight safety, strikes, air traffic management issues and aircraft cargo-related disruptions.
The regulation does not give airlines an open exemption. Carriers are still required to update passengers on cancellation or delay developments during force majeure events. They may limit care and support to a maximum of three nights when disruption is caused by such circumstances, but the absence of compensation does not remove the obligation to communicate clearly and provide support within the framework.
Oman’s passenger rights rules apply to flights departing from airports in the Sultanate, whether operated by national or foreign carriers, domestic flights between Omani airports, and flights arriving in Oman on national carriers unless passengers have already received compensation or assistance under the rules of the departure country. Foreign airlines arriving in Oman are otherwise governed by the departure country’s laws or applicable international conventions.
The framework provides compensation for several airline-controlled disruptions. Where boarding is denied against a passenger’s will and an alternative flight is offered between two and six hours after the original departure time, compensation is set at 50 per cent of the value of the unused ticket sector. If the passenger terminates the contract after denied boarding, unused tickets must be refunded with compensation equal to 100 per cent of that value, while partially used tickets attract reimbursement for the unused itinerary plus compensation equal to 50 per cent of the total ticket value.
For international flight cancellations notified within 14 days of departure, compensation thresholds include RO108 for flights up to 1,500 kilometres and RO173 for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometres, alongside obligations to explain passenger rights and offer available alternatives. Delays of more than six hours may also give passengers the right to demand compensation under the cancellation provisions, unless the airline proves that force majeure caused the disruption.
Care obligations remain a central part of the regulation. When delays or cancellations occur, airlines must provide refreshments, meals, accommodation and airport transfers where applicable. Failure to provide these services carries separate compensation, including 10 Special Drawing Rights when refreshments and drinks are not served, 30 SDR when a proper meal is not provided, and 100 SDR when hotel accommodation and transport are not arranged.
The rules also require airlines to reimburse ticket values or pay compensation in cash, bank transfer, bank draft or exchange vouchers, depending on the passenger’s preference, within 14 business days from the date on which the airline acknowledges the passenger’s right. Complaints must first be filed with the airline, which has 30 days to provide a written response. If no satisfactory agreement is reached, passengers may escalate the matter to the Civil Aviation Authority.
The clarification carries wider relevance for Oman’s aviation sector, which is expanding alongside tourism, logistics and transit ambitions. Passenger traffic through the country’s airports reached 14.94 million in 2025, up from 14.54 million in 2024, while aircraft movements stood above 104,000 for the year. January 2026 traffic rose to about 1.45 million passengers, reflecting continued demand across domestic, regional and long-haul routes.
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