BANGKOK Airways is launching Chiang Mai-based ATR 72 services to Myanmar’s Yangon and Mandalay in late October.
Ma Nang Hon Tip, sales manager of Bangkok Airways, said: “From October 26, Mandalay will initially be served with three-weekly flights and Yangon with four weekly.”
Opportunities in the fast-growing Thailand-Myanmar market are the main driver of the airline’s decision to expand more routes into Myanmar, she said, adding: “We are confident both (Yangon and Mandalay) markets will grow and eventually be able to support more frequencies.”
According to the Centre for Aviation, Bangkok Airways currently offers almost 11,000 weekly seats to and from Myanmar, making it the largest airline in Myanmar’s international market with about 10 per cent share of total seat capacity.
The airline roughly doubled its capacity to Myanmar over the past year with the addition of a fourth daily Bangkok-Yangon flight as well as new services from Bangkok to Mandalay and Naypyidaw.
The airline said capacity is slated to increase by another 18 per cent in late October this year as it will add a fifth daily Bangkok-Yangon flight along with the new launches from Chiang Mai to Yangon and Mandalay.
The routes from Bangkok to Mandalay and Naypyidaw will continue to be served with seven- and five-weekly frequencies respectively.
Bangkok Airways expects to have about 13,000-weekly seats for Myanmar in November, accounting for 25 per cent of total international seat capacity to the country.
