Indonesia’s aviation expertise is heading deeper into the Gulf. A 20-year concession signed on October 5 gives GMF AeroAsia a platform to develop aircraft maintenance operations at Muscat International Airport, connecting Indonesian technical capabilities with Oman’s ambition to become a regional aviation services hub.
A long-term partnership takes shape
The agreement was signed during the Civil Aviation Investment Forum in Muscat by GMF chief executive Andi Fahrurrozi and Oman Civil Aviation Authority president Naif bin Ali Al-Abri. It covers the operation and management of aircraft maintenance facilities serving national, regional and international airlines.
Under the arrangement, Oman’s CAA retains ownership of the hangar and provides the concession, while also overseeing regulatory compliance. GMF will develop and operate the hangar and supporting facilities. Expansion will proceed in phases according to market demand and the agreed business plan.
For GMF, part of the Garuda Indonesia Group, Muscat offers an additional operating location closer to customers in the Middle East, with potential access to markets in Africa and Europe. The facility is intended to complement its existing Indonesian operations.
Explaining that ambition, Fahrurrozi said: “With our experience and capabilities, we see an opportunity to serve a broader aircraft maintenance market while contributing to the growth of Oman’s aviation industry.”
Building skills alongside infrastructure
Oman’s objectives extend beyond providing hangar space. The CAA says the partnership is intended to support heavy maintenance and periodic inspections, alongside the transfer of technical knowledge in aircraft structures, engines and avionics.
In its announcement, the authority highlighted the goal of “creating specialized employment opportunities for national talent.” That places workforce development alongside commercial expansion as a measure of the project’s value.
The agreement also fits the wider agenda of the investment forum, which presented opportunities around Muscat, Salalah and Sohar airports. Oman is seeking to connect airport infrastructure, logistics, investment and human capital development under its National Aviation Strategy 2040.
For the bilateral relationship, this creates a practical avenue for cooperation through engineering and training. Its eventual impact will depend on how those ambitions translate into operational capabilities and skilled employment.
An international network already in motion
GMF enters the Oman partnership with an established business beyond its parent airline. In a September 2026 corporate announcement, the company reported that revenue from customers outside its group reached US$141.3 million in 2025, representing 28.7 per cent of total revenue.
GMF identified Korean Air, Vietjet Air and Cebu Pacific among its existing customers, while naming One Air, Air Swift and Texel Air as additions to its customer base. These figures illustrate the commercial importance of serving airlines beyond the Garuda group, although non-group revenue should not be equated entirely with overseas revenue.
Recent regional commitments provide more specific examples. At MRO Asia-Pacific in Singapore in September 2026, GMF announced maintenance projects covering 43 Cebu Pacific Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft during 2027–2028, alongside ATR work. It also reported Thai Vietjet A320 projects and AirZeta Boeing 747-400 maintenance work scheduled for 2027–2030.
Beyond airline customers, GMF described a partnership with US-based FTAI Aviation involving engine and auxiliary power unit maintenance, with capacity allocated over five years. Together, these arrangements show how aircraft maintenance connects Indonesian capabilities with operators and specialist businesses across several markets.
Turning the agreement into dependable service
The next stage is delivery. A long concession provides planning certainty, but commercial success will depend on customer demand, staffing, maintenance capabilities and consistent service.
The primary announcements describe phased development without detailing an investment value or a firm date for full operations. The distinction is important: signing the concession establishes the partnership, while building a functioning maintenance business remains the work ahead.
For Indonesia and Oman, the Muscat agreement offers a tangible connection through skilled services. Its strongest legacy would be a facility that airlines trust, technicians can build careers around and both countries can sustain well beyond the signing ceremony.
