Myanmar adds local airlines

YANGON, 9 August 2013: Myanmar’s Department of Civil Aviation says four new airlines are poised to launch services.local news reports quoted the department identifying the four new airlines as Yadanabon, Saga, Apex and FMI.“Yadanabon and Saga will base their headquarters in Mandalay and the rest will based in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of Myanmar,” the department reported.They are all said to be owned by Myanmar nationals and FMI is already operating a Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw flight with aircraft leased from Myanmar Airways as it still does not have its own aircraft.The DCA official added: “The four new airlines have submitted their applications for permission to do the business to the department.”The companies established their home bases in  Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw  because the department is now restricting the number of airlines that can operate out of Yangon International Airport (YIA), which is the main gateway to the country. They can still serve Yangon, but their fleets must be stationed at the home bases outside the capital.Yangon International Airport’s general manager, Win Ko, said most of the airlines like to be based in Yangon. But overnight parking area is already full with aircraft from several airlines.“Yangon International Airport has very little space left and the airport is now very busy  at morning and evening  peak hours.”Currently, the country has seven local airlines registered. They are: Air Bagan; Golden Myanmar Airlines; Myanmar Airways International; Yangon Airways; Asian Wings; Air KBZ; and Air Mandalay.MAI operates flights from Mandalay and Yangon to Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Gaya, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Guangzhou. It also has serves Bangkok and Singapore.Meanwhile, three new international airlines are planning to fly direct to Myanmar starting in September this year.
Mr Win Ko said the new airlines are Thailand-based Nok Air and Business Airlines and Singapore-based Tiger Airline.“These airlines will fly direct to Myanmar and they have submitted their plans to the Civil Aviation Department under the Ministry of Transport.”There are currently 22 international airlines flying to Myanmar.In the past, there were only 15, but new services have been launched from Japan, Qatar, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany and Singapore.ASEAN countries such as Brunei and Vietnam are also discussing the introduction of direct flights to Myanmar.

Sourced: ttgasia