Cambodia’s State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) has requested Japanese airline All Nippon Airways (APA) to consider restarting direct flights between the two nations.
The flights were suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as were most flight routes by major airlines around the world, but the former have yet to reopen since.
However, Vann Chanty, Director-General of Air Transport at the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation told reporters in Cambodia that ANA officials were urged to resume the direct flight route during a meeting last week with Mao Havannall, Minister in charge of the Cambodian State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA).
He said, “Cambodia’s transport sector is gradually recovering, thus it is a good [time] to propose [flight resumption] with ANA. We [also] want to know what are the factors hindering the company’s decision not to resume flights [for] now.”
Nevertheless, while awaiting final confirmation on Cambodia-Japan direct flights, the country’s aviation industry is preparing for the influx of visitors from other parts of the world.
As Cambodia moves closer to finalizing a bilateral free trade agreement with India, a nation boasting a population of over one billion, the introduction of direct flight routes between the two countries can be anticipated as early as next year.
Another international hub for international travelers is Doha, the capital of Qatar, which boasts one the busiest air traffic hubs in the world serving over 30 million passengers every year., and is also home to the second-best airline in the world, Qatar Airways.
After stopping direct flights between the two countries in April 2020, Qatar Airways has agreed to resume the Doha-Phnom Penh flights, starting on 29 October.
Cambodia’s developing aviation industry is a good sign that the regional economy is starting to revive through international tourism.
Although Laos does not have direct flight routes with Japan, India, or Qatar, Laos does have direct flights to Cambodia, connecting it to other major cities in the world.
Meanwhile, in a move to attract more visitors as Laos prepares for the “Visit Laos year 2024” tourism campaign, the country has discussed the possibility of starting direct flights with the Philippines to boost trade, investment, and tourism during the 2nd Philippines-Laos Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), held from 3-4 August in Vientiane Capital.
