AirAsia to fly to Nay Pyi Taw

BANGKOK-Low-cost airline, Thai AirAsia says it will open a direct flight from Bangkok to Myanmar’s capital Nay Pyi Taw by October, just ahead of the year-end SEA Games.

The airline CEO,  Tassapol Bijleveld, said the airline has filed for traffic rights from the Myanmar authorities to operate a nonstop flight from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Nay Pyi Taw.

“The flight should start in October ahead of the 27th SEA Games to be hosted by Myanmar in December,” he said. “We anticipate a significant flow of travel to this destination due to the upcoming SEA Games.”

Thai AirAsia will be the first Thailand-based airline to offer a service between the two capitals.

Yangon remains the commercial capital, but all government offices have moved north to Nay Pyi Taw and as the country liberalises trade and opens  to international companies, executives need to negotiate with government officials in the capital. ANA has a weekly flight from Japan with just business class seats to serve this market.

Thai AirAsia is accelerating its expansion ahead of the ASEAN Economic Community which will take effect at the end of 2015.

Commenting on the Bangkok- Nay Pyi Taw flight plan, AirAsia CEO, Tony Fernandes, said he was thrilled to be the first to connect the capitals with a daily service.

“As a truly ASEAN airline, we are committed to making travel within ASEAN accessible and affordable, especially as connectivity to Nay Pyi Taw continues to become an increasingly important for the region.”

Myanmar hosts the 27th SEA Games this December and then assumes the chair of ASEAN in 2014, just one year before an ASEAN free trade era is supposed to commence in December.

Currently, AirAsia offers three daily flights between Bangkok and Yangon, and one daily flight between Bangkok and Mandalay. In addition to Thailand, the low-cost airline also connects Yangon to Kuala Lumpur via a daily flight.

Sourced: ttrweekly