Asian Wings Airways to introduce regional flights from 25 June 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                    / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Two-year old Myanmese airline, Asian Wings Airways, plans to introduce new flights between Yangon and other Southeast Asian and East Asian cities. Other local airlines of Myanmar also have plans to expand their flight networks to other Asian cities.

On 25 June 2013, Asian Wings Airways starts its first regional service on the Yangon-Chiang Mai route.

Other regional destinations of Asian Wings Airways are planned for October 2013.

“We are planning more regional services this October but it depends on the readiness of our reservations system to secure overseas bookings,” said Asian Wings Airways marketing and reservations manager, Cho Mar Nwe.

Eventually, Asian Wings Airways plans to fly from Yangon to Bangkok, Phuket, Seoul, Guangzhou, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore and from Mandalay to Chiang Mai, Gaya and Kunming.

Expansions to regional destinations will require more aircraft. Currently Asian Wings Airways has three ATR72s and a single Airbus A321. It plans to add one more ATR and a A321. Considering its ambitious plans to add nine more regional routes, in addition to its Chiang Mai service, it will require more aircraft to sustain reliable on-time services.

“We need to act quickly to catch up with competitors who are expanding services to Myanmar from Thailand, China, Korea,” said Ms Cho Mar Nwe.

For example, Myanmar Airways International has signed an agreement with Korean Air to begin code-sharing flights from Yangon to Seoul . Air Mandalay plans to resume flights from Yangon to Chiang Mai and launch new flights to Phuket  later this year while Air Bagan plans to resume flights to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi in October 2013 and to Singapore possibly in 2014.