In thinking about the whole mess in Qatar, I had to chuckle that the Swiss have found a way to play peacemaker: a Fifth Freedom route between Muscat and Dubai.
Each evening at 9:25p a SWISS A330 departs Dubai, landing in Muscat at 10:30p. The plane immediately returns to Dubai, leaving Muscat at 11:30p and arriving into Dubai at 12:45a before continuing to Zurich.
In 2011 I traveled on the 1hr15min (217 mile) flight from Muscat to Dubai. The ticket was about $50 then and the flight was mostly empty. I wish I took more pictures, but only snapped a picture of the pretzels and water offered to economy class passengers:
I cannot comment on first class service on the route…
Swiss Neutrality
Swiss neutrality is at the butt of many jokes, but it just seems fitting that SWISS offers a link to another neutral nation, Oman, that will allow Emiratis to reach Qatar and Qataris to reach the UAE and other embargoed nations.
Take advantage of this reasonably priced Fifth Freedom Route if you find yourself needing to navigate between Doha and Dubai. One-way pricing is far better than the completion.
From Muscat, hop on a Qatar or Oman Air flight to Doha.
top image: Laurent ERRERA / Wikimedia Commons
Err… this obviously has nothing at all to do with Swiss neutrality.
You can just get an Oman Air flight from DXB or AUH via MCT to DOH. Or Iran Air via Terhan.
Oh come on, that wasn’t my point.