The airline will start operating the daily flights as of April 1 next year.

In a statement, the airline said: “The United Kingdom has always been one of the key markets for Oman Air.”

The airline, which is also working on a new terminal in Muscat as it looks to grow its capacity and network, already has two flights a day between Heathrow and Muscat.

“That has been a flagship route for Oman Air and our second daily frequency [between the two] is a clear indication of the strong demand for flights between these two great cities,” it went on to say.

This week, British Airways announced it was to launch a direct service between Heathrow and Muscat.

The carrier already operates to Muscat but currently travels via Abu Dhabi; BA will start its direct service from October 30.

Oman Air launched its first service to London in 2007 and a second daily direct service just this year, on April 12, slots for which it was rumoured to have paid $75 million.