Lao Airlines plans to buy a 70-seater ATR 72-500 aircraft from France by September 2009, according to the airline's Marketing Manager, Mr Rada Sounthone.
Passengers board a Lao Airlines MA60 aircraft at Kunming 's Wujiaba International Airport in China , bound for Vientiane . –Photo Sisay
Mr Rada said on Tuesday the addition of the modern aircraft to its fleet would give the airline a competitive edge and would enable it to handle an increasing number of passengers.
“This new airplane is more modern than our other six planes. Our present fleet consists of two ATRs and four MA60s,” he said.
Lao Airlines began flights on a new international sector between Luang Prabang province and Udon Thani province, Thailand , last week.
The airline is also planning to offer services between Savannakhet province and Da Nang province, Vietnam, with flights scheduled to start in June next year.
Flights will be offered on this sector because most Thai travellers transit Laos in Savannakhet on their way to Da Nang . There are also flights between Savannakhet and Bangkok , Thailand .
Lao Airlines will also resume flights between Luang Prabang and Kunming province, China , in October next year.
“At this time of the year, during the peak tourist season from October to April, all our flights are usually heavily booked. But this is not the case this year because of the ongoing financial crisis which is causing a downturn in travel,” Mr Rada said.
He said reservations were up 9 percent from last year, but attributed this to the larger number of flights available.
Despite the financial crisis, the airline expects to meet its target of raising passenger numbers 20 to 30 percent during the peak tourist season. Lao Airlines currently operates 10 international sectors, with five routes between Luang Prabang and neighbouring countries.
By Panyasith Thammavongsa (Latest Update November 6, 2008)
