CAMBODIA, LAOS SIGN MOU TO INCREASE AIR LINKS

Cambodia and Laos on Monday signed a deal to encourage regional airlines to increase their services between both countries in a bid to encourage tourism, reports Khmer Times.

Vann Chanty, director for air transport at Cambodia’s State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, said that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) will push airlines in both countries to operate more flights between Cambodia and Laos due to the increased demand from tourists.

“We need to update the agreement to comply with reality and the demands of the market,” said Mr Chanty. “Currently, there are three airlines offering flights between Cambodia and Laos. They are Cambodia Angkor Air, Lao Airlines and Vietnam Airlines, and they have about 21 flights per week. Through this new MoU, it will be increased to 30 flights each week,” he said.

Mr Chanty said that the passenger load between the two countries increased by five percent last year to 178,000 and hoped the figure will hit 200,000 in the next two years.

Keo Sivorn, director-general of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, told Khmer Times that the new agreement will make it easier for airlines to have direct flights between Cambodia and Laos and will open up new routes, like from Phnom Penh and Preah Sihanouk to Vientiane or Luang Prabang.

“Although the Lao air transport market growth is slow, the new agreement will allow airlines in Laos to have more options when it comes to destinations in Cambodia,” he said.

Full story at Khmer Times.