Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, is to launch a new service between Muscat and Milan in the first week of December.

Oman Air's internationally-acclaimed A330 aircraft will touch down at Milan's Malpensa Airport for the first time on Friday 3_rd December and the airline will then operate four flights per week in each direction.

Announcing the new route, Oman Air's Chief Executive Officer, Peter Hill, says:

"We are delighted to be launching our new service to Milan: our 41_st destination and the ninth we have unveiled this year. As Italy's capital of culture, design and fashion, and one of the world's great business and financial centres, Milan is sure to be a popular destination for travellers from Oman and from many other destinations within our rapidly-expanding network. The new service also offers travellers from Italy a great opportunity to discover the beauty and hospitality of Oman.

"Over the last year, Oman Air has redefined air travel, setting new standards for comfort and luxury in every class, introducing state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment, including live satellite TV, and pioneering in-flight mobile phone and wi-fi connectivity. I am sure that this level of sophistication will be greatly appreciated by customers on this new service and we look forward to welcoming them aboard."

Milan is renowned as one of the world's most dynamic and creative cities. As a global centre of the fashion business, it is home to designers such as Armani, Versace, Valentino and Prada, and many labels own shops in the city, offering an outstanding range of choices for visitors.

For connoisseurs of art and design, Milan offers a breath-taking range of landmarks, including churches, palazzos, piazzas, and the remarkable Duomo di Milano, the fourth largest cathedral in the world. For some years, the city was home to Leonardo Da Vinci, who designed a number of buildings in Milan and whose world-famous mural, The Last Supper, is displayed at the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

Milan also boasts one of the world's most famous opera houses, La Scala, which, with the imminent completion of the Royal Opera House in Muscat, underlines the perfect timing of Oman Air's new service to the city.

Peter Hill concludes:

"Our new service offers the people of Oman the chance to visit this remarkable city and to make the most of the cultural and business opportunities it offers. Equally, as the only airline to offer a direct service from Italy to Oman, we are inviting the Italian people to visit Oman and to experience the Sultanate's legendary hospitality, dramatic landscapes and unspoiled coastline. With world-class hotels, an incredible range of leisure activities and year-round sunshine, Oman looks forward to offering visitors the warmest of welcomes."