Know how people could return to Oman bypassing travel ban

MUSCAT: Travel agents in Oman are helping desperate employers to bring back their staff from countries that are still on travel ban using unique packages.

With the entry ban on passengers from some countries still on, travel agencies have offered a 15-day travel package to the Maldives intended for those stranded back home — who had gone on leave or other family or medical emergencies before the flight ban was announced.

The package ensures that the passenger spends 14-day prior to reaching Oman in a country that is not on the travel ban list.

Anil Mathew from a travel agency affiliated with a business group in Muscat says that such offers are not cost-effective in a report run by the Gulf News.

“We had a few corporate clients who wanted to bring their staff who were skilled in specific projects. As the market is slowly returning to normal and many projects are getting started, a lot of employers whose staff are stuck in various places in places like India, and Bangladesh want to bring them back. We had facilitated the travel of a few from India via other places like Armenia or Georgia where the passenger had to spend 14 days before proceeding to fly to Oman.

“After reaching Oman, they had to undergo seven days of institutional quarantine, as mandated by Oman’s health authorities. When the projects worth millions are put off because the concerned project manager is stuck in India or elsewhere, spending thousands for bringing him this way is justifiable.”

Anil said that for a common man drawing a salary below 1,000 Omani Riyals, this is not a viable option.

“More so when the rules are changing at very short notice. These are pre-booked holidays where payment is done in advance, as per the norms. What if the ban on travellers is lifted from the countries hitherto banned?

The paid amount will have to be forgone even if the trip is cut short. There is no guarantee that the country that is not on the banned list may be banned as well. Then you are stuck in a country which is new to you, besides other uncertainties.”