A Cambodia Angkor Air aircraft on the tarmac at Phnom Penh International Airport last week. Hin Pisei.
As part of its efforts to enhance Cambodia's aviation sector, making it larger, more diverse and more appealing, Cambodia Angkor Air will soon undergo an official name change, and be known as Air Cambodia. The move coincides with the acquisition of three new ATR 72-600 aircraft.
The new name will be in use as of January 1, 2025. Established as Cambodia's first national airline, Cambodia Angkor Air holds a 3-star rating from the global aviation ranking agency, Skytrax.
Sinn Chanserey Vutha, spokesperson for the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), told The Post on December 16 that the rebranding strategy aligns with the company's market development goals and the rapid recovery of the global aviation industry after the severe downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic four years ago.
He added that the rebranding has been approved by the government.
Cambodia Angkor Air Co., Ltd was established in 2009, with a 51% share owned by the Cambodian government and the remaining 49% held by China's Xing Gang Investment Group (XIG), and other investors.
“The name change is part of the company's efforts to improve service quality, strengthen brand recognition and adopt modern strategies that reflect current market conditions, as a carrier representing the Cambodian government,” said Chanserey Vutha.
Along with the name change, the carrier has placed an order for three new ATR 72-600 aircraft. The twin turboprop aircraft are set to arrive in the Kingdom in May, November and December of next year. Each of the aircraft will adopt a two- class layout, including business and economy.
“The introduction of the three new ATR72-600 aircraft is aimed at strengthening domestic and ASEAN regional transport services,” added Chanserey Vutha.
He explained that the company is currently operating flights to several popular tourist destinations, including Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Vientiane, with plans to expand to many other destinations.
Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, believed that the rebranding is part of the airline’s marketing strategy to enhance its promotion and services after over a decade of successful operations in the Cambodian market.
She highlighted that the additional aircraft purchases are motivated by growing demand for air travel in Cambodia and the airline’s goal to expand its capacity to attract more foreign tourists.
“More flight routes will undoubtedly bring greater benefits to Cambodia’s economy, as every new destination promotes the country more effectively,” she said.
“The new name is expected to captivate travellers and entice them to experience something fresh and innovative,” she added.
She also noted that the number of international airlines operating flights to Cambodia has steadily increased since early 2024, along with a rise in flight destinations and frequencies. These positive developments are expected to grow further once the Techo International Airport (TIA) in Phnom Penh officially opens in mid-2025.
In early November, the SSCA reported that the construction of TIA was over 90% complete, with the airport set to officially launch operations by the end of the first half of 2025.
According to the SSCA, the Kingdom’s international airports collectively saw 47,447 incoming and outgoing flights from January to October 2024, marking a 14% increase over the same period in 2023.
The number of passengers travelling in and out of Cambodia during the same period totalled 4,978,663, a 21% rise. Air freight also saw a significant increase, with more than 63,000 tonnes of goods transported, up 37% compared to 2023.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia received a total of 5.37 million international visitors between January and October this year, 22% jump on the same period in 2023. Of them, 1.91 million arrived by air, marking a 27.7% rise.
In 2019, Cambodia achieved its highest number of international tourist arrivals, with 6.61 million visitors, up 6.6% over the previous year. Perhaps tellingly, over 3.71 million of the 2019 guests arrived by air.
