Air Bagan goes global

17 May, 2007: This week, Myanmar saw its largest private carrier take off for the international skies. Air Bagan launched its first international route with a Rangoon-Bangkok flight on 15 May, 2007.

Air Bagan is one of three private airlines in military-ruled Myanmar. The airline began services in November 2004. The airline turned a hit soon after as tourists flocked to the ancient city of Bagan, home to thousands of world-famous 11th- and 12th-century Buddhist temples.

According to a report, the new daily flight, an Airbus A310-200, arrived from Rangoon on Tuesday morning on schedule and made the return trip an hour afterwards. The airline plans to launch three more regional routes later this year, adding Singapore on June 15, Kunming, China on August 15, and Siem Reap, Cambodia on October 27, it said.

Air Bagan currently operates flights to 17 destinations within Myanmar, including Mandalay and the new administrative capital Naypyidaw, the report pointed out.

Air Bagan is based in Yangon and operates domestic scheduled services to 15 towns and cities. Its main bases are Yangon International Airport and Mandalay Chanmyathazi Airport, said the report. The airline is owned by Myanmar Airways and Htoo Trading and has 250 employees.