FMI Air to import ATR72-600 in November 2016 and launch international flights in 2018

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

FMI Air, which conducted its first scheduled domestic flight between Yangon and Naypidaw in 2015, exhibits at ITB Asia for the first time from 19 to 21 October 2016. It shares its booth with the Union of Myanmar Travel Association at Booth K43.

FMI Air has a fleet of 2 Canadian CRJ-200 Regional aircraft with a seating capacity of 48 passengers each. However, on 7 November 2016, it will receive its first ATR72-600 aircraft, with a seating capacity of 58 passengers. The ATR aircraft promises more legroom, according to FMI Air.

FMI Air will import its second ATR72-600 aircraft in 2017 to increase frequencies on its route network.

The airline currently flies to Naypidaw and Sittwe from Yangon. After the first ATR72-600 aircraft is received, it will expand its scheduled route network to include Bagan, Mandalay, Heho, Mawlamyaine and Thandwe, destinations that are focused on leisure travellers, through 2017.

FMI Air has ambitions to open scheduled international flights from either Yangon or Mandalay to Phuket, Chengdu, Guilin, Guiyang, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Initially, it will choose 3 to 4 cities, that are not served by any airline that flies to Myanmar, to operate international flights to, subject to the appropriate safe aircraft availability and travel demand. Its main travel market target is China. 

The airline also plans to have its own inflight magazine published in Singapore and available in Myanmar in 2017.