Low-cost carrier VietJet Air is set to launch flights between Hanoi and Siem Reap next month.

A statement released on the Vietnamese Airlines website on Monday says a 5:15pm flight will leave Hanoi each day and a return flight from Siem Reap will depart at 8:05pm. Travel time is an hour and 50 minutes, and flights are expected to begin November 3.

“We are delighted to introduce Siem Reap as our latest destination and further demonstrate our strong commitment to developing the most dynamic flight network across the Asia Pacific region,” said Desmond Lin, business development manager of VietJet, is quoted on the statement.

Sinn Chansereyvutha, spokesperson for the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, said yesterday the approval of the VietJet licence was expected early November.

VietJet will join Cambodia Angkor Air and Skywings to become the third carrier serving the Vietnam-Cambodia route, Chansereyvutha said.

“It will benefit travellers in terms of price, as more airlines running the same route will make it more competitive in the market,” he added.

Chheuy Chhorn, deputy director of Siem Reap’s tourism department, welcomed the news yesterday of a new entrant into the aviation market.

“Not only will it encourage more Vietnamese tourists to come to the province, but also foreign tourists who visit Vietnam,” he said.

Government figures show from January to June close to 1.2 million foreign tourists visited Siem Reap, of that number around 690,000 tourists arrived through the international airport.