Oman bans more flights, but lifts movement restrictions

Oman has added Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam to its list of countries from which passengers are barred from entering. The move, which is aimed at limiting the spread of the pandemic, will continue to suppress demand for jet fuel in the sultanate.

The ban came into effect yesterday and will last until further notice.

These three countries join 12 others that have been on the entry ban at least since early last month. Those include Sudan, Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt and the Philippines. Travellers that have passed through these countries within 14 days of arrival in Oman are barred from entering even if they are arriving from any other country.

Flights from Lebanon, which had been suspended since 25 February, resumed this month, but it is unclear whether South Africa, which was also added to the list in late February, remains on that list.

Omani citizens, diplomats, health staff and their families are exempt from these restrictions, but the government has still advised its nationals and residents to avoid travel abroad unless it is extremely necessary.

The decision comes as the local authorities lifted several Covid-19-related restrictions that were in place across the sultanate.

The country's Supreme Committee, tasked with managing the pandemic, last week ended a ban on commercial activities from 20:00 to 04:00 in all governorates of the sultanate. That had been in effect since 4 March. Commercial activities have now been allowed to resume at a 50pc capacity, and social functions, such as weddings, at a 30pc capacity. The committee said the decision to gradually resume commercial activities is aimed at alleviating the impact of the pandemic on the private sector and to stimulate different business activities, without hampering efforts to protect individuals against the virus.

Oman has also reopened its land borders to Omani and GCC citizens, which had been closed since 8 April.

While Oman's jet fuel demand is expected to remain weak so long that international travel restrictions remain in place, the easing of mobility restrictions should support gasoline demand. Jet fuel demand in the sultanate fell to a 6-month low of 3,150 b/d in April, according to data from Oman's National Centre for Statistics and Information, while gasoline demand dipped to an eleven-month low of around 49,000 b/d in the same month.

By Sarah Raffoul