Foreign airlines plan flight resumption to Myanmar

YANGON - At least six foreign airlines have planned to resume flights to Myanmar since a year ago in wake of changes in the country but only two of them seem to be in readiness to start operation and the remainings are expected to follow the move after a time.

The six foreign airlines are Sri Lankan Airline, Bangladesh's Biman Airline,  Hong Kong Express Airline, Pakistan International Airline, Japan's All Nippon Airways and Qatar Airways.

Of them, All Nippon Airways and Qatar Airways are making preparations for the move having the most possibility of  resuming regular direct flights to Yangon respectively, prompted by Myanmar 's economic reforms and changes.

For the Japanese All Nippon Airline, it will resume flight between Tokyo and Yangon after stopping for 12 years and the date of the resumption is yet to be set.

A devotee pours water on a Bodhi tree during Kason Watering Festival celebrations at the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon May 5, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

As there is increased interest of Japanese businessmen and market researchers traveling to Myanmar following the country's landmark by-elections on April 1 with gradual easing of foreign sanctions, the airline is trying to resume the direct flight as soon as possible but without a date set.

For the past 12 years, Japanese visitors had to travel to Myanmar via Bangkok or Singapore when the airline suspended its Yangon flight.

Since the Japanese foreign ministry is coordinating with Myanmar for making investment, it has prompted drive of Japanese entrepreneurs to step in Myanmar.

Following the recent opening of a representative office of Japan's second largest bank -- Mizuho Corporate Bank in Myanmar aimed at boosting foreign investment, there is also arrangement of opening of a big shopping center by the Lawson Inc. of Japan.

As for Qatar Airways, it has announced resumption of flights to Yangon on October 3 and the move is seen as providing easy access for visitors travelling from Myanmar to Europe, Africa and Middle East.

Qatar airline had suspended its flight for nearly four years since 2008.

Using A-319 and A-320 aircrafts, the airline will fly Doha- Yangon-Doha on regular flight three times a week and it will extend to daily flight starting  October28.

B-777 aircraft will be added to the route on the increase market demand.

Qatar Airways signed a bilateral airways contract with Myanmar in 2004 to start operating Doha-Yangon-Doha flight four times a week starting January 2005 until it stopped its flight in January 2008.

Relating to Sri Lanka's Minhin Lanka Airline, it was reported last year that it would extend its wing to Myanmar, coordinating with a Myanmar travel company for launching the direct flight service between Yangon and Colombo.

The two sides were expected to sign an agreement during March 2011 for the Minhin Lanka to make the move but fruitless.

With regard to Bangladesh's Biman Airline, it was reported in July 2011 that Myanmar and Bangladesh will re-establish direct air link to connect Yangon and Dhaka as travelers from Yangon visiting Dacca have to transit through Bangkok costing much time.

In fact, Myanmar and Bangladesh have been working to resume direct air link after Biman stopped its flight between Dhaka and Yangon before 2007 due to  economic loss.

Aimed at boosting bilateral trade including border trade between the two countries, the Bangladesh Commerce Ministry had asked the government to restore direct air link to Myanmar which stands as Bangladesh's third largest pharmaceutical products exporting country.

Negotiations were held over the resumption of the direct air link during visits to Myanmar by Bangladesh officials in 2011.

Concerning the Hong Kong Express, coordinations were made with Myanmar to re-launch direct flight to Yangon in October 2011 and a delegation of the Hong Kong Express was seeking international ticket sale agent in Myanmar for the move.

Although the Hong Kong Express airline flies South Korea and Japan with no problem existing in bringing tourists to Myanmar from there, it can hardly obtain full passengers in its return flight from Yangon to Hong Kong, according to sale agents.

The Hong Kong Express once flew the route Hong Kong-Yangon twice a  week with a  164-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft in November 2007 but it halted after about four months.

Still earlier, the Myanmar Airways International (MAI), a then joint venture between the state-run Myanmar Airways and the Region Air of Singapore, flew the Yangon-Hong Kong direct flight but was suspended afterwards for market reason.

For a time of absence of Yangon-Hong Kong direct flight, passengers traveling  between the two destinations had to transit through Bangkok or Guangzhou.  

Meanwhile, the Pakistan International Airways (PIA) once said in March 2001 that it would resume air link with Myanmar in November of the year after a halt for a decade and would fly between Karachi and Myanmar's Yangon and Manadalay to enhance trade between the two countries.  

It remains a fact that Karachi-Yangon air route could bring in a large number of passengers from Europe and the Middle East regions.

In 1996 Visit Myanmar Year, PIA once launched its office in Yangon and started its first flight between Yangon and Karachi but the service stopped in 2001.

Those airlines which are not in readiness to resume flights to Myanmar are expected to be able to do so after Myanmar takes a  next step of its reform after the April 1 by-elections, opening its door wider to the world.

At present, besides the Myanmar Airways International (MAI) flying internationally as Myanmar's national flag carrier, there are  13 foreign airlines flying Yangon which comprise Air China, China Southern Airline, China Eastern Airlines, Thai Airways International, Indian Airlines, Air Asia, Taiwan region's China airlines, Silk Air, Malaysian Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Jetstar Asia, and Vietnam Airlines.