Muscat National Development and Investment Company (ASAAS) was granted the new air services operator licence by the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) on 20 January this year. Salalah Air, Qurum Business Group and Muscat Air were the other companies in the race. Speaking to the Observer about the immediate plans, Khalid alYahmadi, CEO, ASAAS, said, "Oman's second national airline and its first Low Cost Carrier (LCC) will act as an enabler for the development of tourism sector and the economy in general. At the moment, we are in the process of establishing the company that will operate the airline following, which we will proceed with obtaining the Air Operator Certificate and the Economic Operating Licence. Our target is to launch by end of 2016." (Oman observer)