15 December
YANGON Aerodrome Company Lim-ited (“YACL”), operator of Yangon International Airport (“YIA”), today welcomes the first inaugural flight of flydubai, a government- owned budget airline, direct from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This marks flydubai’s first scheduled daily flight in Southeast Asia.
Flydubai will take over the Dubai-Yangon direct flights from Emirates and will increase its flight frequency to daily from four flights per week between the two cities. The two airlines will now codeshare the Dubai-Yangon-Dubai route from today.
The budget airline will utilise next-generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft for the flights, which can carry up to 174 passengers. The flights will take approximately 5 hours and 35 minutes. Yangon International Airport “YIA” received 4,665 passengers from Middle East Nationality and the arrival grew by 8% compared to the same January – October period last year according to the source from Ministry of Hotels & Tourism.
“Inauguration Ceremony”
A senior delegation led by Mr Sudhir Sreedha-ran, flydubai’s Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (UAE, GCC, Subcontinent and Africa) was onboard the inaugural flight. His Excellency U Phyo Min Thein, Chief Minister of Yangon Re-gion, His Excellency Daw Nilar Kyaw, Minister of Electricity, Industry, Roads and Transport, U Htun Myint Naing, Chairman of Asia World Group of Companies, Mr Jose Angeja, Chief Operating Officer of YACL and officials from Department of Civil Aviation greeted and welcomed the del-egation upon their arrival at YIA.
An event to celebrate the occasion of flydu-bai’s inaugural flight was held at YIA’s Terminal 1. The opening address was officiated by His Excellency U Phyo Min Thein, Chief Minister of Yangon Region.
Following the opening address, Mr Sudhir Sreedharan, CCO of flydubai and Mr Jose Angeja, COO of YACL delivered the welcoming remarks. Officials from flydubai and YACL, media friends and honorable guests were also present.
His Excellency U Phyo Min Thein said “Yangon International Airport plays an essential role in the tourism development of Myanmar. The airport is a gateway to international travel. We want to extend a warm welcome to flydubai’s inaugural flight today and give thanks to developing our tourism sector, and secondly, recog-nizing Dubai as an international transit hub.”
Mr Jose Angeja, Chief Operating Officer of Yangon Aerodrome Company Limited; Operator of Yangon International Airport said: “We are delighted to receive a new international airliner, which will not only maintain a direct flight to Middle East - Dubai, as the main feeder of the European and American markets to Yangon, but also for adding a new route to Krabi (Thailand), increasing YIA’s connections portfolio, which will definitely increase the number of passengers and visitors to Myanmar, as well as promote tourism in this particular case, amongst the three regions.”
Myanmar is becoming a popular tourist destination, due to its pristine and untouched beaches, natural topography, deep culture and astounding Buddhist temples and monasteries.” He added.—GNLM