planeboy0411

Photo of flight attendant courtesy of China Southern Airlines

Group C | Saltana Cargo Airlines | Muscat International Airport (MCT/OOMS)

Saltana Cargo Airlines is a cargo airline and subsidiary of the flag-carrier airline of the Sultanate of Oman, Saltana. Capitalizing on the alleged viability of the Middle East as a cargo hub, Saltana Cargo was founded shortly after the flag-carrier itself was established. Operations to regional routes and premiere routes in Europe commenced on passenger flights via the cargo hold of Saltana's aircraft. Cargo-only flights formally began upon the delivery of brand-new McDonnell Douglas MD-11Fs and Airbus A300-600Fs. Acquisition of the aforementioned aircraft also coincided with services to the Far East. Saltana Cargo aircraft are decorated with the current liveries of Saltana Airlines aircraft.

A4O-FA is Saltana Cargo's third and final MD-11F. It differs from the first three MD-11Fs the airline procured as this aircraft underwent a passenger to cargo aircraft conversion, previously operating for Air Mandarin. It is pictured here wearing special decals promoting the airline's role as the logistics sponsor of the 19th Arabian Cup football tournament in 2009. 

In 2013, Saltana Airlines announced its plans to modernize, then shrink the fleet of Saltana Cargo, further integrating its operations into Saltana Airlines passenger flights, and saving the airline a lot of capital as it planned to announce a major passenger aircraft deals with Airbus and Boeing. By 2020, the airline's cargo division would consist of only the Boeing 777F, and from a fleet of 10 aircraft consisting of the three MD11Fs, two A300-600Fs and one 747-400F, Saltana Cargo's fleet would only consist of 5 Boeing 777Fs. The retirement of older aircraft was stalled however, due to the increased demand of cargo following the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A4O-FA wears the 2008-current livery.