Reported by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
/ KUCINTA SETIA
On 28 August 2012, Changi Airport welcomes the arrival of Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines' inaugural state charter flight with a half-page advertisement spread in The Straits Times heralding the cement of civil aviation ties with the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan.
This is also the first time in Changi Airport's history that a foreign airline's first direct charter flight has been announced in the form of an airport advertisement in the local newspaper. Previous inaugural charter flights operated by off-line airlines to Singapore like China Northwest Airlines, MIAT Mongolian Airlines, Air Koryo, Air Macau and S7 Airlines were never advertised by the airport.
The special charter flight from the Bhutanese city of Paro landed at Changi Airport in the afternoon with Her Royal Highness Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck, the eldest princess of the Bhutan royal family, on board. Her Royal Highness is leading a delegation in Singapore to inaugurate the commencement of Drukair’s direct service between Paro and Singapore. She was accompanied by the Bhutan Minister of Information and Communication, and Chairman of Druk Holdings and Investment, the parent company of Drukair, among other senior government officials.
Drukair’s Paro-Singapore route begins commercial scheduled flight service on 1 September 2012. The commencement of this twice-weekly service means passengers departing from Singapore can now reach Bhutan in under six hours, saving an overnight transfer stay in Thailand or India as visitors had to do. Singapore is only the fifth country to be linked to Bhutan by air.
Singapore boasts strong ties with Bhutan. Apart from cooperation at both the government and people-to-people levels in areas such as education, healthcare and media, there has been a strong increase in the number of Singapore travellers heading to Bhutan. In 2011, about 1,300 visitors from Singapore headed for Bhutan, representing an increase of more than 70% over 2010. Bhutan received over 64,000 visitors in 2011.
Drukair operates a two-class configuration using the A319 aircraft on the Paro-Singapore service from 1 September. The flight departs Paro at 0720 hours and arrives in Singapore at 3.05 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while the return flight from Singapore to Paro features an early morning departure out of Changi at 6 am on Thursdays and Sundays. The flight reaches Paro at 9.45 am, allowing travellers the entire day ahead to explore Bhutan. There is a 30-minute stopover in Kolkata on both legs of the flight. Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines operates flights from Changi Airport’s Terminal 1.
Changi Airport Group’s Executive Vice President for Air Hub Development, Mr Yam Kum Weng, said, “In recent years, more people in Singapore and the region are looking forward to visiting Bhutan to experience its unspoilt, exotic beauty and rich culture. Drukair's commencement of flights from Paro to Singapore is timely in meeting this increasing market demand, and enhancing the people-to-people exchange between the two countries. Changi Airport Group is pleased to partner with the Tourism Council of Bhutan and Drukair to promote the Kingdom of Bhutan and the direct air link both in Singapore and the region.”
Mr Tandin Jamso, Chief Executive Officer of Drukair, said, “Drukair is honoured by the warm welcome given by Singapore. For Drukair, Singapore is not just another destination, but an opportunity to bring our two nations and people together. Drukair aims to connect Singapore to Bhutan, and afford its people an opportunity to experience a way of life that is slowly fading in many countries, an opportunity to experience happiness like the Bhutanese. The goal of Drukair is to eventually make Singapore our gateway to the world.”
Paro is a new city link for Changi Airport and follows the addition of the Gold Coast (Australia) and Kota Bahru (Malaysia) to the Changi network. As at 1 August 2012, Changi Airport serves some 100 airlines operating more than 6,200 weekly flights to over 220 cities in 60 countries and territories worldwide.
This is also the first time in Changi Airport's history that a foreign airline's first direct charter flight has been announced in the form of an airport advertisement in the local newspaper. Previous inaugural charter flights operated by off-line airlines to Singapore like China Northwest Airlines, MIAT Mongolian Airlines, Air Koryo, Air Macau and S7 Airlines were never advertised by the airport.
The special charter flight from the Bhutanese city of Paro landed at Changi Airport in the afternoon with Her Royal Highness Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck, the eldest princess of the Bhutan royal family, on board. Her Royal Highness is leading a delegation in Singapore to inaugurate the commencement of Drukair’s direct service between Paro and Singapore. She was accompanied by the Bhutan Minister of Information and Communication, and Chairman of Druk Holdings and Investment, the parent company of Drukair, among other senior government officials.
Drukair’s Paro-Singapore route begins commercial scheduled flight service on 1 September 2012. The commencement of this twice-weekly service means passengers departing from Singapore can now reach Bhutan in under six hours, saving an overnight transfer stay in Thailand or India as visitors had to do. Singapore is only the fifth country to be linked to Bhutan by air.
Singapore boasts strong ties with Bhutan. Apart from cooperation at both the government and people-to-people levels in areas such as education, healthcare and media, there has been a strong increase in the number of Singapore travellers heading to Bhutan. In 2011, about 1,300 visitors from Singapore headed for Bhutan, representing an increase of more than 70% over 2010. Bhutan received over 64,000 visitors in 2011.
Drukair operates a two-class configuration using the A319 aircraft on the Paro-Singapore service from 1 September. The flight departs Paro at 0720 hours and arrives in Singapore at 3.05 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while the return flight from Singapore to Paro features an early morning departure out of Changi at 6 am on Thursdays and Sundays. The flight reaches Paro at 9.45 am, allowing travellers the entire day ahead to explore Bhutan. There is a 30-minute stopover in Kolkata on both legs of the flight. Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines operates flights from Changi Airport’s Terminal 1.
Changi Airport Group’s Executive Vice President for Air Hub Development, Mr Yam Kum Weng, said, “In recent years, more people in Singapore and the region are looking forward to visiting Bhutan to experience its unspoilt, exotic beauty and rich culture. Drukair's commencement of flights from Paro to Singapore is timely in meeting this increasing market demand, and enhancing the people-to-people exchange between the two countries. Changi Airport Group is pleased to partner with the Tourism Council of Bhutan and Drukair to promote the Kingdom of Bhutan and the direct air link both in Singapore and the region.”
Mr Tandin Jamso, Chief Executive Officer of Drukair, said, “Drukair is honoured by the warm welcome given by Singapore. For Drukair, Singapore is not just another destination, but an opportunity to bring our two nations and people together. Drukair aims to connect Singapore to Bhutan, and afford its people an opportunity to experience a way of life that is slowly fading in many countries, an opportunity to experience happiness like the Bhutanese. The goal of Drukair is to eventually make Singapore our gateway to the world.”
Paro is a new city link for Changi Airport and follows the addition of the Gold Coast (Australia) and Kota Bahru (Malaysia) to the Changi network. As at 1 August 2012, Changi Airport serves some 100 airlines operating more than 6,200 weekly flights to over 220 cities in 60 countries and territories worldwide.
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