Two new companies given licence to fly in Cambodia

Photo by: Heng Chivoan

Cambodia Angkor Air could face two competitors on domestic routes in the new year.

via CAAI

Tuesday, 28 December 2010 15:00 Chun Sophal

CAMBODIA will licence two more aviation companies to fly passengers on domestic routes, according to Mao Havannall, Secretary of State of Cambodia’s State Secretariat of Civil Aviation authority.

Speaking at a plenary session at the National Assembly yesterday, he said the two firms – Tonle Sap Company and Indochina Company – would be cleared to fly from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, and Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville.

“We are preparing the procedures for both private firms, and hope they will begin operating early next year,” he said.

The two companies are set to receive their licences in the next few days, he said, adding that the firms were to partner with companies based overseas, and fly medium-sized planes such as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.

The Civil Aviation authority has not yet released a flight schedule for the two firms.

Currently, Cambodia Angkor Air is the only firm that operates a regularly scheduled passenger service on domestic routes in the Kingdom.

Sam Rainsy Party Senator Yim Sovann said he welcomed more flights, as it would encourage competition in the domestic aviation sector.

Increased competition will result in cheaper tickers for passengers, he said.

“We support more flights in the nation because we think that it will be more competitive and provide more benefit to the Cambodian people,” he said.

Mao Havannall said that licensing the two new companies was due to speculation that the number of international tourists will continue to increase.

Cambodia has signed a number of agreements with foreign nations to operate direct flights to the Kingdom, aiming to increase the number of visitors from overseas, he said.

On Friday, the National Assembly approved two multilateral agreements with ASEAN, and eight protocols on air transportation and shipping, to contribute to the goal of a common ASEAN flight market in 2015.