Oman Air pledges support for Marie Keating Foundation

National carrier of Sultanate of Oman supports cancer charity set up by singer Ronan Keating

[UKPRwire, Thu Sep 03 2009] Oman Air has pledged its support for the Marie Keating Foundation, an Irish charity founded by singer Ronan Keating and his family in memory of their mother. The charity is dedicated to increasing awareness and knowledge of cancer, promoting early detection and treatment and providing support services to those affected by the disease.

The first move by the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman has been to donate two return flights from London Heathrow to the Omani capital of Muscat. The tickets will be used in a silent auction being run throughout September and October by Ultratravel, the Daily Telegraph’s quarterly luxury travel magazine.

Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer, Peter Hill, says:

“Oman Air is proud to be supporting the excellent work of the Marie Keating Foundation in providing advice, information and practical support for all those affected by cancer.

“Ultratravel’s silent auction is an excellent way of both demonstrating support and raising money to continue and expand the Foundation’s work. We are extremely happy to have had the opportunity to contribute and I would urge everyone to place a bid.

“We look forward to supporting the Marie Keating Foundation into the future.”

Ronan Keating adds:

“We are very pleased that Oman Air is supporting the Marie Keating Foundation. Oman Air, Ultratravel and all our other supporters are helping us to educate and inform people throughout Ireland, and to offer services to those who need them most.”

Nick Perry, Chairman of Ultratravel Ltd, concludes:

“Oman Air’s support for Ultratravel’s silent auction is very welcome and we look forward to providing a significant boost to the Marie Keating Foundation’s funds.”

Ends


For all UK and Ireland media enquiries, including interview requests, please contact Matt Grainger or Nicky Brown at Black Sheep PR on +44 (0)20 7664 7817
(out of hours: +44 (0)7974 403139) or email matt@blacksheeppr.com


Note to editors

About Oman Air
Oman Air is the flag carrier of the Sultanate of Oman. Founded in 1993, the airline has since witnessed massive growth and has played a major role in making Muscat an important traffic hub in the Middle East, supporting the commercial, industrial and tourism sectors.

The airline currently operates direct international flights from Muscat to major Gulf destinations, such as Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Kuwait and Riyadh. In addition, Oman Air flies to ten destinations in India – Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Delhi, Lucknow, Bangalore, Kozhikode and Jaipur; to Chittagong in Bangladesh and Karachi in Pakistan, London, Bangkok, Cairo, Beirut and Amman, Jordan.

Oman Air currently offers competitively-priced flights from Dublin to Oman and many other destinations, via London Heathrow.

Oman Air’s international fleet consists of Boeing 737-800 and Airbus 330 wide-body jets. At the end of 2009 the fleet strength will be 15 B737-800s, two A330-200’s and two A330-300s. Three more A330 aircraft will enter service in 2010. Two ATR 42-500 aircraft perform domestic schedule and charter operations. The airline also has six Boeing 787 Dreamliners on order.

Earlier this year, Oman Air unveiled its new, lie-flat Business Class seat, which will offer greater levels of comfort and amenity than many other airlines’ first class products and will be fitted on all the new Airbus wide-body fleet.
www.omanair.aero

About the Marie Keating Foundation

Following the death of their mother, Marie, in 1998 each member of the Keating family promised that they would do everything they could to bring an end to breast cancer in Ireland. They committed to provide all women and their families with the necessary information to prevent cancer or detect it at its earliest stages. Their collective aim was to "enlighten not frighten", by:
• Increasing awareness and knowledge of cancer and cancer-related issues
• Promoting early detection and treatment
• Providing support services to those affected by cancer where identified gaps exist
• Working closely with various cancer-related groups and organisations to complement and optimise efforts to eradicate cancer as a life threatening disease.

The Marie Keating Foundation focuses on cancers that can be prevented through lifestyle changes and early detection and its ultimate goal is a future free from the fear of cancer.
www.mariekeating.ie