Cambodia Airways, which started operations in the Kingdom this year, has announced the arrival of its first aircraft, an Airbus A319 that it expects will contribute to increasing air traffic to and from Cambodia.
With a $200 million capital injection, Cambodia Airways Co Ltd is 100 percent owned by Prince International Airlines Co Ltd (PIA) – a fully Cambodian entity.
The airline will welcome its second aircraft next month, with another five slated for arrival by the end of the year, it said.
“With Cambodia’s economic growth expecting to reach seven percent again this year and next, the company strongly believes the local airline industry will see positive growth and success in Asia,” the company said.
It said Cambodia Airways plans to add as many as 10 aircraft in the short term as it grows its number of destinations.
The Post previously reported that Cambodia Airways had applied for an airline operator’s certificate (AOC) from the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA).
However, in the company’s announcement, it said the arrival of its first aircraft on Friday is a good sign towards getting the AOC in time for the airline’s maiden flight this July.
Cambodia looks set to add three new carriers this year to bring the total number to 10.
The aviation sector has seen rapid growth in recent years – from two airlines with seven aircraft in 2013 to its current number of seven airlines with 30 aircraft.
The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) predicts that there will be 45 aircraft flying to and from Cambodia by the end of this year.
“Cambodia’s [aircraft] fleet will continue to expand rapidly over the next few years as passenger traffic grows. It will be driven to a large extent by inbound demand from China,” the report says.
Chhay Sivlin, the president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA), said on Monday that having a new airline in Cambodia reflects increasing demand for air travel to the Kingdom, while outbound tourists will increase as well.
