Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA Image : Cambodia Airways
In the morning of 2 September 2025, Cambodia Airways and AVATION, a Singaporean commercial aircraft company, officially signed a contract, agreeing to a partnership agreement for AVATION's new ATR72-600 aircraft. Cambodia Airways' Director and CEO, Mr. Edison Duan, AVATION's Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), Mr. Soeren Ferre, and Mr. Franck Cheung, Vice President of Marketing, attended the meeting.
Senior executives from both sides emphasized the importance of the partnership during the meeting. Mr. Edison Duan stated, "This is Cambodia Airways' first introduction of the ATR72-600 aircraft. As Cambodia's domestic airline with the largest international route network, the most destinations, and the highest service quality, this new aircraft will help us better connect Cambodia's international and domestic markets, provide passengers with more efficient transfer services, and promote regional tourism development and economic recovery." Mr. Soeren Ferre praised Cambodia Airways' future growth potential and the prospects for Cambodia's aviation and tourism industries. "We are very pleased to establish this partnership with Cambodia Airways. We will provide full support in fleet planning and the commissioning of new aircraft, helping the airline optimize its capacity layout and seize more market opportunities," he said.
The ATR72-600, built by ATR, a renowned aircraft manufacturer under the Airbus Group, has long been hailed as the "first choice" in the global regional aircraft market. Compared to regional jets, the ATR72-600 significantly improves route compatibility and overall operational efficiency, enabling Cambodia Airways to increase daily aircraft utilization while effectively controlling costs and maximizing operational benefits. This also provides a practical foundation for the airline to further explore and develop a "high-frequency, fast-turnaround, light-capacity" operating model, thereby better aligning with market trends and stimulating potential demand for domestic tourism in Cambodia and short-haul travel to neighboring countries and regions.
Cambodia Airways plans to officially introduce its first new ATR72-600 aircraft in February 2026. With the arrival of this new aircraft, Cambodia Airways' fleet structure and route network will be significantly optimized, propelling the airline from a single trunk route operation to a new stage of development with coordinated trunk and branch routes and a multi-aircraft model portfolio. This will further establish a "five-hour flight circle" with Techo as its primary operating base and Greater China as its core market, encompassing Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia in Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea in Northeast Asia, and Central Asia.
This strategic partnership with AVATION not only marks a new stage in Cambodia Airways' fleet diversification and regional route layout, but also a key step on its path to international development. With the delivery of the new aircraft and the continued expansion of its route network, Cambodia Airways will also collaborate on codeshare and interline services with world-class international airlines, continuously improving flight connection efficiency and network connectivity. This will create an aviation operations platform that features "two highs and one excellence" (high quality, high standards, and excellent service) for the Asian market, injecting strong impetus into the leapfrog development of Cambodia's civil aviation industry.
