Burmese Airline to Operate Flights to India – Xinhua

Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency)

Yangon, 24 January: The Myanmar [Burma] Airways International (MAI) will extend its flight services to India later this year as part of its plan to stretch wing to more international destinations, the local Yangon Times news journal reported Thursday.

The planned introduction of the India air route followed the resumption of MAI’s flight services to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur on 15 January which were suspended for about three months for technical reasons.

With the prospective addition of India air route, the MAI will have a total of four international flight destinations which also include Singapore.

MAI is a joint venture between the state-run Myanmar Airways and the Region Air of Singapore set up in 1993 for sole international service.

Besides the MAI serving international flights, there are four other Myanmar airlines operating domestic flights including one state-owned Myanmar Airways (MA) and three private airlines – Air Mandalay, Yangon Airways and Air Bagan.

The three Myanmar private airlines, in addition to their domestic flights, have also extended their services as regional flights to Chiangmai, Phuket, Bangkok, Singapore and Incheon respectively.

However, the Air Bagan’s Singapore flight had to be suspended since last 4 November due to sanctions by the United States, the airline said, adding that it will seek resumption of the flight by the peak tourist season of September this year.

In addition to these private airlines, there are also 15 foreign ones flying Yangon which include Thai Airways International, Indian Airlines, Qatar Airways, Silk Air, Air China, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Hong Kong Express Airways, Mandarin Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Jetstar Asia, Phuket Airline and Thai Air Asia.

Meanwhile, Myanmar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reportedly initiated last week a new air services agreement on designating Myanmar’s MAI and Air Bagan, and UAE’s Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia and RAK Airways for the operation of air services between the two countries.

Originally published by Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 0313 24 Jan 08.

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