Air Canada claims that its relationship with Oman Air is still in effect and blames high demand for the lack of available award space. However, the total lack of award space on any Oman Air flight in any cabin of service on any date suggests to me that something else is going on.
Air Canada: Aeroplan Relationship With Oman Air Still In Place
I have been meaning to review business and first class on Oman Air for Live And Let’s Fly, but lately, I have noticed a disturbing trend: there is not a single date available with award space in any cabin of service on any route. I can understand that popular routes like London – Muscat might not have any space, but I find it implausible–particularly based upon how and how much award space it has released in the past–that it simply stopped releasing award space.
Concerning Air Canada Aeroplan, I’ve also noticed that Gulf Air (the Bahraini flag carrier) space does not always match what is available in ExpertFlyer and I’ve also noticed a disconnect between Thai Airways space made available to other carriers and those showing available on Aeroplan (in concept, all partner award space, regardless of the Star Alliance loyalty program, comes from the same “StarNet” pool of inventory).
So I asked about all three carriers in an email to Aeroplan and received the following response:
Partner carriers manage their inventory, inclusive of Award Space, according to the demand environment. Industry wide, we are seeing a strong return to travel and accordingly, retail fares along with Award Fares are reflective of this demand and vary by carrier.
Notwithstanding the above, we checked today and have found Award Space on Gulf Air and Thai Airways. While Oman Air space is not currently available, the Aeroplan partnership has not ceased.
I was not expecting anything different, but I am glad to see that the relationship is still theoretically in place. That gives me some hope that, similar to the way Japan Airlines has suddenly greatly limited award space, we might see Oman Air loosen things up over time.
Even so, my hunch is that this is deliberate and that we will see Oman Air cease to be a partner once it becomes a oneworld member in 2024.
CONCLUSION
Air Canada and Oman Air remain partners. Air Canada blames the current lack of any award space on high-demand. I tend to think something else is going on but am glad that the partnership, at least on the books, is still in place.
> Read More: Oman Air: A Beautiful State Of Confusion
image: Oman Air
A year ago Oman space was quite plentiful. Even in F from Muscat to London which I flew.
There are issues across the board with Aeroplan, and also UA. For months OS was not showing up at all on UA for rewards. Yet was on Aeroplan. That has since been corrected. As well seeing many times now that space on LH is showing up on LifeMiles but NOT on Aeroplan OR UA.
I imagine some of these are technical glitches and others are just partners blocking space on another’s site. Either way it is really frustrating and why I am not assuming that if it doesn’t show on one it won’t show on another.
1) It’s Gulf Air, not Gulf Airways.
2) Aeroplan has restricted online access to certain Oman Air and Gulf Air redemptions, particularly those to/from the Indian subcontinent, due to fraud concerns. This has been in effect for several months now, but Aeroplan has not really communicated this well to its members. You have to call Aeroplan to ticket those awards, but the agents are usually able to find the space.
That’s not true, IME. I’ve called and asked about space and been told there is none. What were you able to book recently?
A few weeks ago, I was able to book LHR-BAH on Gulf Air and BAH-India on Oman Air (two separate award). ExpertFlyer showed GF space, but nothing on Aeroplan’s website. Calling and ticketing over the phone (for both redemptions) worked without a problem. Aeroplan even waived the call center service fee, as the agent specifically noted that these redemptions were not permitted to be made online.
Alec Baldwin was quoted as saying, “I’m absolutely against any relationship between US airlines and Oman Air. This must not go through.”
I was wondering why I couldn’t find any space on Oman Air! I’ve always wanted to visit the country, I instead had a stop over in Abu Dhabi, as the Gulf Air flight I wanted disappeared.
You really should visit Oman, Other Aaron. it’s a nice in a anti-Dubai way to experience that part of the world (though they do have some nice Dubai-esque seaside resorts).
I just booked Oman Air Business class award space 2 weeks ago from AMM to MCT by simply calling the Aeroplan line. Many, many flight options are available to phone agents but for some reason not showing online. I asked them to check many routes and there was space.
That’s interesting because I called and tried all sorts of routes, including MCT-AUH (short ones) and found nothing.
I hope StarNet doesn’t meet ChatGPT to form SkyNet.
Similar story with Etihad Airways.
You won’t find any Business or First award spaces with Aeroplan anymore for the past 1-2 months.
Heaps available directly on the Etihad website, which Aeroplan used to mirror. But now there isn’t a singleBusiness or First award seat available on any route with Aeroplan, only Economy.