An Asiana Airlines aircraft in flight. Supplied
Cambodia has requested that Asiana Airlines explore the possibility of operating flights between South Korea and the Kingdom’s Siem Reap and Preah Sihanouk provinces.
At present, the Seoul-headquartered airline flies to Phnom Penh. Prior to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the airline served Cambodia’s two provincial international airports.
This proposal was raised by Minister of Tourism Huot Hak, during a June 5 meeting with Park Jongman, vice-CEO and head of Passenger Affairs at the airline, in Seoul.
During the meeting, Hak expressed his appreciation for the company’s contribution to providing safe and comfortable air transport services between Cambodia and South Korea. He urged the airline to consider expanding its direct flights to Siem Reap and Preah Sihanouk, which are both considered popular tourist areas in Cambodia.
“We requested continued assistance and suggested examining the possibility of further expansion through direct and regular flights to Siem Reap and Preah Sihanouk provinces, which are popular tourist destinations, to provide a level of convenience to Korean and other international guests and investors travelling to Cambodia,” he said.
Sinn Chanserey Vutha, spokesperson for the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), told The Post on June 9 that the authorities are constantly working to attract more international airlines and foreign visitors to Cambodia.
“We welcome all airlines wishing to fly to Cambodia. The country is fully prepared to receive flights as well as tourists and foreign investors coming to visit Cambodia,” he said.
On September 9, the new Techo International Airport will commence operations.
The facility is a “Greenfield” airport, meaning it was built on area that was previously undeveloped land, in this case, 2,600 hectares in Kandal province, about 19 kilometres south of Phnom Penh.
A 4F-category airport, it was designed to accommodate large aircraft such as the Airbus A380-800 and Boeing 747-800. The airport is being developed in three phases, Phase 1 (2020–2030) will handle 15 million passengers per year, Phase 2 (2030–2050) will see capacity grow to 30 million and Phase 3 (after 2050) will reach 45 million.
