New Indochina national carrier to fly in July
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A new national carrier scheduled to make its maiden flight 18 July will be a joint venture between the Cambodian government and Vietnam Airlines, a source within the Phnom Penh International Airport told the Phnom Penh Post on Tuesday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the government would own 51% of Cambodia Angkor Air and the state-owned Vietnamese carrier 49%.
The airline will initially fly two routes linking Preah Sihanouk province’s Kang Keng Airport to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh using a pair of short-haul 72-500 turboprop aircraft from French manufacturer ATR, the official said.
The news comes after Vietnam Airlines last week signed a US$120 million loan package with a consortium of banks to finance the purchase of six 72-500 aircraft from ATR. The contract was signed in December, in addition to five ATR 72-500s already on order, AFP reported last week.
Ownership of the national carrier is a closely guarded secret. Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An told a Vietnamese oil company delegation this week that a new national carrier would make its maiden flight July 18.
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