Lao Air to fly to Attapeau

VIENTIANE  Lao Airlines will launch a new domestic service connecting Vientiane and Attapeu this April.
Airline official, Phuttasone Vannasack, told the Vientiane Times that the service will begin by the Lao New Year 2 April.
Lao Airlines will operate two flights weekly between Vientiane and Attapeu, which will be welcome news for residents and local business travellers.
inside no 4At present, it takes one and a half days by bus from Vientiane to Attapeu. A car or minibus can complete the trip in 12 hours, but it is more feasible to calculate 15 hours. The flying time will be just over one hour.
The new sector has been added to Lao Airlines’ domestic routes with the aim of boosting investment and trade, especially as Attapeu is developing commercially due to its shared border with Vietnam.
The airline deputy director, Saleum Tayalath, was quoted as saying that flights will begin once the airport in Attapeu is completed and cleared for commercial flights.
Work on the project was ahead of schedule, but the opening was set for June. The ceremony is now likely to be brought forward to April if civil aviation department inspections give the new airport the green light.
The airport is located in Xaysettha district, about 26 km from the provincial capital. The project was contracted to the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAGL) and cost over USD36 million.
The runway will be 1,850 metres long and 30-metres wide and able to accommodate small commercial aircraft of 70 to 100 seats.
Of the four southern provinces of Champassak, Saravan, Xekong and Attapeu, only Champassak has an international airport.
People who don’t want to undergo a long road trip to Attapeu often fly from Vientiane to Champassak and make their way from there.
Attapeu borders Vietnam and Cambodia. Tourist attractions include the 16th-century Saysetthatthirath pagoda, three waterfalls on the Xepain River, and Attapeu pottery vases used to store rice wine.

sourced:ttrweekly.com