Flying, wealth, tourism, and a little ‘Bond’

I see myself as a typical traveller, not a Goldfinger, and not made of money, but ‘doing alright,’ who would like to go home and see the family and friends every couple of years, and on the ‘off’ year to spoil myself and my wife, with a wee leisure holiday somewhere nice. Somewhere quiet, with a comfortable room, good food, a nice beach, and something to see and do, nearby. The Sultanate of Oman sounds perfect, and would be too, but the cost of airfares is a touchy topic with me just now.

I recall four years ago, we had all the time in the world, flew from Muscat to the UK to see my daughter, and after a couple of weeks there, flew from London Heathrow to Christchurch, New Zealand for the modest sum of £444GBP, which is about RO 260. This month, searching on the Internet to fly the same route and airline was £1,800GBP or nearly RO 1,100. I was shaken, not stirred.

I thought it was a mistake, but no, even searching different departure and arrival airports, clearly much less convenient of course, I only got the price reduced by £400GBP (RO 250), though the flight times had ballooned out from 24 hours to 35, making it a proper endurance test. Shocking, positively shocking, but, I guess I’m going to have to ‘bite the bullet’ as they say, because you only live twice, and beggars can’t be choosers, can they?

But that is just one more indication, I guess, as to how global inflation, indeed all global finance, has been mismanaged so criminally by the bureaucrats, the banks, the financial powerhouses, and to a lesser extent their subservient politicians, in a manner that sees the rich get richer, yet again, and that scares the living daylights out of me.

It’s funny (weird, not ha ha), however the world turns, wherever there is conflict, tragedy, poverty, and loss, that the wealthy still maintain their wealth, still retain their positions in society, still retain their influence, but most of all, still retain that sparkling arrogance, confidence, and wit. It is almost as if they ‘know’ the future, what is happening, what is for your (their) eyes only, and when, but we all know that’s impossible don’t we?

So maybe, just maybe, some of those ‘James Bond’ world domination movie plots aren’t as ridiculous as we thought, with global giants in media and commerce particularly well-placed to manipulate people and events to achieve a spectre of even greater wealth and power. I mean, if you can’t trust a Swiss banker, what has the world come to? The world is not enough?

Maybe I, like thousands of others, need a holiday in Oman to chill out? Just one thing though... those pesky airfares. When UK travellers can go to Spain, the Canary Islands, and the like for less than RO 50, the competition has a decided advantage. So, let’s even the playing field with this suggestion. If the airlines Oman Air, and Salam Air allow passengers to pay a deposit to secure seats and allow them to pay off the balance before flying?

Strangely, none of them do this. I mean... you can pay for almost anything in instalments today, houses, cars, furniture, appliances, utilities, its limitless, yet we don’t see airlines doing so. It might be a way to tease prospective tourists towards the exotic ‘Jewel of the Middle East,’ and spend the difference on fares, if they could pay it in instalments. That would offer a quantum of solace to them when they are paying more for flights.

I think too, even though the sector is growing, it needs to be inventive and think of ways to have prospective tourists never say never, in terms of visiting Oman, because honestly, they will return again and again. And of course, we all know that the tourist and traveller dollar is the best dollar, because it contributes to the national and local economies and provides jobs.

I have frequently advocated that Oman is the best destination for all-inclusive type holidays, and nothing during the post-pandemic period has altered my opinion... I believe the writings on the wall.