Drukair's first A320neo received on 21 February 2020 launches flights to Doha and Dubai

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan

                 / KUCINTA SETIA

Image courtesy : Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines

According to Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines, it receives its first Airbus A320neo jet on 21 February 2020. The arrival delivery of the new aircraft coincides with the 40th Birthday Anniversary of the Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck.

Registered at A5-JKW, the A320neo is named in honour of the Bhutanese King. On 21 February, special cakes and hardcopies of the special edition of Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines Inflight Magazine Tashi Delek are given out to passengers of the 21 February flights.

The new A320neo jet is deployed on ad hoc charter flights to the Middle East cities Doha and Dubai in April and May 2020 to repatriate Bhutanese working in these cities while the A319-100 jets continue to be utilized on its traditional routes to Suvarnabhumi and Singapore.

A5-JKW's first charter flight is to Doha from Paro on 20 April 2020 under flight KB800 while  the first charter flight to Dubai from Paro is operated on 10 May 2020.

On 10 May 2020, Drukair's A320neo launches the first charter flight to Dubai at 10 am under flight KB810. It arrives in Dubai at 1.40 pm before leaving Dubai for Paro at 5 am on 11 May 2020 and touching down in Paro at 11.20 am under flight KB811.

The first scheduled flight to Dubai from Paro, KB800, is expected to be launched on 5 September 2020 via Delhi. 

On 5 September 2020, flight KB800 leaves Paro for Dubai via Delhi at 11.50 am, transits in Delhi at 1.40 pm before leaving Delhi for Dubai at 2.40 pm and arriving in Dubai at 5 pm. 

The outbound flight from Dubai to Paro via Delhi takes place under KB801 on 6 September 2020. It leaves Dubai for Delhi at 7.30 am, touches down in Delhi at 12 am before taking off from Delhi for Paro at 1 pm and landing in Paro at 3.50 pm.

Outbound scheduled flights to Dubai via Delhi are on Fridays while the KB801 leaves for Paro via Delhi on Saturdays.

The above schedules may be adjusted, depending on the pandemic situation in India. India does not allow international scheduled passenger flights to disembark at its airports for the time being.

On 22, 24 and 29 June 2020, Drukair operates cargo and relief flights to Singapore from Paro non-stop using the A319-100. The Bhutanese national flag carrier only operates scheduled flights on Sundays within Bhutan from Paro to Bumthang, Gelephu and Yongphula and to Suvarnabhumi from Paro on other days.