CAA adds China service

SIEM REAP, 30 September 2013: National flag carrier, Cambodia Angkor Air, launched daily flights, 26 September, to Guangzhou City in China’s Guangdong province.

CAA’s deputy chief executive officer, Lim Cao, said the airline is using a 176-seat Airbus A321 for the daily two and a half-hour flight.

“We are responding to demand… more Chinese tourists and business people are visiting Cambodia.”

He added that the decision to fly was based on a forecast that showed there would be a substantial increase in travel from Chinese cities to Siem Reap, but direct flights were needed to capitalise on demand.

China is the third largest tourism source  for Cambodia. During the first seven months,  267,500 Chinese tourists visited Cambodia, up 49% year-on-year, according to tourism ministry data.

CAA officially launched operations July 2009 as a joint venture between the Cambodian government, which owns 51% of the business and Vietnam Airlines.

Currently, the airline has two ATR-72 aircrafts and three Airbus 321s.

Besides domestic flights, the company also operates several international flights to neighbouring countries, namely Vietnam and Thailand.

The airline also plans to fly to Shanghai in China and Seoul in South Korea.

Sourced: Cambodia News