Mao Havannall (right), Minister in charge of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, exchanges copies of the agreement with a senior official of the Turkish Civil Aviation Authority. Aviation secretariat
Cambodia has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Turkish Civil Aviation Authority which will implement co-terminal rights.
The agreement is part of broader efforts to boost air passenger and cargo transport between the two countries and increase air connections between Europe and Cambodia.
The MoU was inked during the ICAO Air Services Negotiation Event (ICAN2024), which is taking place from October 21-25, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Cambodian delegation was led by Mao Havannall, Minister in charge of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation.
Sin Chansereyvutha, spokesperson for the secretariat, told The Post on October 22 that the MoU paves the way for general aviation flights, which could include both passenger and cargo transport.
“We aim to see our local airlines eventually operating flights between the two countries,” he added.
According to Chansereyvutha, Cambodia hopes domestic airlines will soon inaugurate regular operations on the new route.
The MoU is part of a policy of facilitating air travel from Europe to Cambodia which was approved by the Kingdom’s government on April 23, he explained.
He noted that this aligns with the government's strategy to expand flight routes to the Middle East and Europe.
“Cambodia-Turkey flights operated as cargo flights from 2016, with one flight per week, before being suspended in 2023. However, no passenger flights were operational,” he continued.
Chansereyvutha acknowledged that following the signing of the MoU, both sides will need additional time before the full implementation of the agreement.
Thourn Sinan, chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), noted that Istanbul Airport in Turkey is a major hub in the region. He suggested that if Cambodia can establish direct flights, the country could expect a significant increase in tourist arrivals.
“Currently, Turkey's airports serve numerous flights between Europe and Asia, which could add great value to Cambodia’s tourism sector,” he said.
Between January and August 2024, Cambodia received a total of 4.29 million foreign visitors, a 22.5% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Among these, 5,009 visitors were from Turkey, marking a 90.7% increase. Of these Turkish visitors, 4,051 travelled for tourism, 952 for business and 6 for other purposes, according to data from the Ministry of Tourism.
