India-Cambodia direct flight expected ‘soon’

Hopes of a direct flight between Cambodia and India were re-kindled this week, with the Indian Ambassador announcing that the flight is expected “soon”.

In a meeting on Monday in Phnom Penh, Ambassador Manika Jain told Mao Havannal, Secretary of State for Civil Aviation, that India “has plans to operate a direct flight to Cambodia” and that “it will happen soon”.

Ms Jain also said her government will help the Kingdom conduct training in the aviation industry, particularly in engineering, flight procedure design and aircraft maintenance.

Aiming to boost tourist numbers travelling between the two nations, Cambodia and India have been discussing the establishment of a direct flight for years.

Sin Chansereyvutha, spokesman at State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, said that now the main hurdle standing in the way of a direct flight is insufficient market demand.

“India and Cambodia already signed an aviation agreement last year, so the legal side of things is taken care of. However, we still face the problem of a lack of demand for the flight,” Mr Chansereyvutha said.

He said no airline, from either country, has so far announced intentions to cover the route.

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