World Tourist Destinations: THE ARABIAN KNIGHT Sunil V A, country manager, Oman Air, who has been with the airline since its inception, shares his journey with the company

THE ARABIAN KNIGHT

Sunil V A, country manager, Oman Air, who has been with the airline since its inception, shares his journey with the company

While switching jobs might be considered an option to get to your dream job and pay package, Sunil V A found an alternate route to realising his dream career. When you are one with your company's goals and possess unwavering loyalty, you are bound to reap the rewards eventually. Sunil’s career took off in 1993, when Oman Air was launched. Being associated with the company since its inception, Sunil became a witness to the challenges and changes that come with the territory. "As the first non-Omani country manager for India, I had to work my way up the ladder. I had worked under three different country managers and refused to be drawn under anyone's wings. But that didn't stop me from imbibing their positive qualities. It was only a matter of figuring out what works best for me," says Sunil.
He has seen the airline extend their operations and take on new challenges over the last 19 years. "I have seen Oman Air expand from four to 45 destinations, out of which ten are Indian cities. With 75 flights operating on a weekly basis, we offer a good spread in the Indian aviation market," says Sunil. The brand has gone from being a regional player catering to Gulf countries to serving the European and Asian routes for leisure travel. "This year, between April and June, we serviced more than 5000 Indian passengers travelling for leisure. The introduction of tour-based fares and group check-in facilities were key factors contributing to the boost in numbers. This has given us a huge facelift and brought about a change in our marketing strategy," he says.
Competing with established carriers with huge capacity and network has not been a cakewalk for Oman Air. "A product that offers convenience appeals to the passengers. Along with a strong product, competitive pricing and creating strong networks with passengers and partners have helped us come this far. Our frequent flier program, Sindbad, has enabled us to push our product and build loyalty. We are also trying out new products and market mixes to expand our business. The fact that we have sold every seat this year is a clean victory for us," says Sunil.
Oman Air was awarded the Best Business Class Seat in the world by Sky Trax for the second consecutive year. "In terms of facilities and luxuries, our business class is comparable to first class offered by other airlines,” says Sunil. It was also the first airline to introduce mobile and internet facilities on-board their international flights. They cannot offer it in India because as per the Directorate General Civil Aviation (DGCA) guidelines, it is not permitted.
Despite the downturn in the Indian economy, Indians are travelling like never before because exotic and traditionally high-budget European destinations are getting cheaper. "Earlier, the middle class preferred flying to the Far East but today, with Europe's recession, hotel rates have been slashed by almost 50%. That makes luxurious European cities affordable," says Sunil.
Seasoned tourists, who have covered all the traditional tourist hot spots, are also on the lookout for new experiences. Turkey and Iceland are emerging destinations, according to Sunil. Cashing in on this trend, Oman Air is also trying to push Oman as a stopover tourist destination that provides the jet-lagged traveller a taste of something unique. "The visa norms are slated to become more flexible for Indian nationals. Also, an undisclosed Bollywood film is being shot in Oman. So, the frequency of flights to Oman is set to increase as the Gulf country gets ready to feature in more and more travel itineraries."
When asked to cite his reasons for visiting Oman, Sunil excitedly says, "From beaches to the desert, Oman has everything that one can ask for. It is a less crowded and peaceful destination to unwind and relax. It remains largely unexplored in the Middle East and that's why it has a lot of pristine landscapes. And in my experience, the people of Oman are among the friendliest in the world." Sunil's favourite spot is the Oman Diving Center near Muscat that offers cruises, dolphin watching and snorkeling trips.
A hard core networking person, Sunil swears by his friends. "I still keep in touch with my school and college-mates, most of who are scattered in different parts of the world. They give me a lot of insights because our marketing strategies look to target people like them, spanning different professions and income groups."
Holding a 24-hour job, he is grateful to God that he has a supportive family. "I have moved across four cities since I got married. Last year, I came to Mumbai and my family is still back in Chennai,” says a wistful Sunil, who misses his family and plans to relocate them to Mumbai soon.
Sunil, who loves Mumbai, is a movie buff and a rock music fan, and unwinds after a hard day at work by listening to music till midnight. "I have a huge collection and I don't go home to the same music every day. Luckily, my wife doesn't mind and neither do my neighbours. Recently, one of my friends gifted me a personalised CD for my birthday and I was really touched," he says.
Staying true to his word is important to Sunil. He says, "One should not over-promise and under-deliver. I believe that saying 'no' is better than saying 'I will try'. This improves trust and people know that this guy means business. This is my success mantra." His patience and relation-building have also worked in his favour. "I try to get my team to put themselves in other people's shoes and maintain a positive attitude. That is essential to the get best out of any situation," says Sunil.
Speaking about the future of the airline, he says, "Our first priority is to increase seating capacities. We are in talks with the DGCA, and with the Ministry of Civil Aviation in Oman and eagerly waiting for things to fall in place. We also plan to expand our operations on the European and Far Eastern routes." Sunil dreams of taking Oman Air to new altitudes and we hope his plans progress to a full-throttle.