MAI takes off to Chiang Mai

Myanmar Airways International (8M) launched a new service from Yangon to Chiang Mai, Thailand on 3 April in addition to its Bangkok-bound flights from Yangon and Mandalay.

The new route, Yangon-Chiang Mai, is served by a 95-seat Embraer E190 (E90) jet aircraft, which offers three weekly flights on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

• Flight 8M370 departs Yangon (RGN) at 1215 and arrive in Chiang Mai (CNX) at 1345.
• Flight 8M371 deparst Chiang Mai (CNX) at 1445 and arrive in Yangon (RGN) at 1515.

The airline is pitching the introductory one-way fare on the route at USD119.

MAI flies four daily flights on the Yangon-Bangkok (BKK) route and from Mandalay to Bangkok (BKK) daily. It also flies daily from Yangon to Bangkok (DMK).

It will face stiff competition on the Yangon-Chiang Mai route from Myanmar National Airlines (UB), which flies four times weekly using the 70-seat ATR72. Flights are scheduled on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

• Flight UB09 departs Yangon at 1720 and arrives in Chiang Mai at 1910.
• Flight UB10 departs Chiang Mai at 2015 and arrives in Yangon at 2105.

The average roundtrip fare on UB is USD250, with a low of USD185 in March and rising to around USD223 in April. Travel to Myanmar is restricted. Visa-free travel has been suspended for all foreign visitors, and the only way to enter the country is to join a tour package sold by authorised travel agencies.