Emirates Airlines will fly daily from Phnom Penh to Dubai via Bangkok instead of via Yangon, Myanmar. AFP
Emirates Airlines will fly daily from Phnom Penh to Dubai via Bangkok instead of via Yangon due to increasing demand for travel between the Cambodian and Thai capitals, the airline’s commercial manager Abdulla Adnan told reporters at a media briefing on Tuesday.
Emirates Airlines discontinued its service from Phnom Penh to Dubai via Yangon on May 31.
Abdulla said the increasing demand for travel between Phnom Penh and Bangkok as well as better flight connections in Bangkok airport were the principal reasons for Emirates’ decision to switch from Yangon to Bangkok as its stopover to Dubai.
“We look at Bangkok as a regional hub for travellers to get from Southeast Asia to different destinations such as Europe and the Americas.We want to increase both inbound and outbound [flights to and from] Cambodia. Based on market research, we are confident we will attract first-class passengers."
“In terms of demographics, we are looking at a healthy mix of passengers going into and out of Cambodia,” he said.
The daily flight which connects Dubai to Phnom Penh via a stopover in Bangkok is set to use a Boeing 777-300 ER, with eight first class seats, 42 business class and 310 economy.
Emirates first launched its passenger service from Phnom Penh to Dubai in July 2017, eyeing the rising tourism figures along with the expansion of Phnom Penh International Airport, as well as the airline’s existing connections between Dubai and European hubs such as Paris, London and Frankfurt.
Cambodia Association of Travel Agents president Chhay Sivlin welcomed the launch of the new route as it will attract more Middle Eastern tourists to the Kingdom.
“Having a first-class flight option will help attract more tourists to Cambodia, especially from Dubai and Middle Eastern countries,” she said.
Since beginning its passenger service operation in 2017, Emirates has flown a total of 130,000 passengers and carried some 5,000 tonnes of cargo since introducing sky cargo services in April 2016.
A Ministry of Tourism official said from January to April, Cambodia received 2.4 million visitors. The Kingdom is set to welcome 6.6 million tourists this year compared to 6.2 million last year.
