Lao Airlines, the national airline of Laos, yesterday, resumed the operation of direct flights between Vientiane and Phnom Penh, offering a three-times-a-week service, scheduled every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
A Lao Airlines flight with 116 passengers on board arrived at the Phnom Penh International Airport on March 19 and it was given a ceremonial welcome.
The ceremony was led by Hul Seila, Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Tourism. Passengers onboard were greeted with flowers and Khmer scarfs (Krama).
Operated by Air Bus320 or ATR 72, the flight is scheduled to depart Vientiane at 8.35 am and land in Phnom Penh at 9.50 am.
Direct flights between Vientiane and Phnom Penh by Lao Airlines are expected to boost tourism in both destinations, said Sin Chansereyvutha, Under-Secretary of State of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA).
“The resumption of flights is a positive sign for tourists and business people and will also contribute to enhancing the relationship between the people of the two countries,” he said.
This exciting reconnection brings three convenient direct flights per week between Phnom Penh and Vientiane, making travel between the two countries’ beautiful capitals easier than ever, said Cambodia Airports, which manages Phnom Penh International Airport and Sihanoukville International Airport.
“We’re thrilled to see Lao Airlines returning to Phnom Penh today with 150 passengers on board,” the Cambodia Airports said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
Lao Airlines used to operate direct flights on the Vientiane-Phnom Penh route from the 1980s to the mid-2000s, but due to market factors, flights on this route were temporarily suspended.
Since then, air service between the two cities has been conducted by Vietnam Airline under the codeshare agreement.
Currently, the airline operates direct flights between Luang Prabang-Pakse-Siem Reap-Pakse-Luang Prabang using ATR 72 aircraft with three flights a week.
The company is also seeking to add a new route to Cambodia’s coastal province of Sihanoukville in the near future.
In 2023, Laos was the fourth largest source of foreign tourists for Cambodia with more than 372,285 visitors, an increase of 302 percent from 92,609 in 2022, a report from the Ministry of Tourism showed. khmertimeskh
