Cambodia’s airspace getting crowded: Three new airlines to take off this year
Cambodia’s aviation sector is growing rapidly, resulting in a fast expansion of the number of airlines in the country. Currently, there are no less than seven airlines in Cambodia, together operating a combined fleet of 30 aircraft. This is compared to two airlines operating seven aircraft four years ago, an unsustainable number in the long term, according to research released on February 27 by the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA).
This year, the country plans to add three more airlines, which will bring the total number of operating carriers to ten.
China-backed Cambodia Airways and KC International Airline and Thai-backed Air Siem Reap are set to enter the airspace. All three carriers are in the process of applying for their Cambodian air operating certificates. The overall Cambodian plane fleet will likely reach 40 aircraft by the end of 2018.
Existing JC International Airlines, an ambitious start-up which began operations less than a year ago and should not be confused with KC International Airline, could become the largest airline in Cambodia by the end of 2018, based on fleet size. Cambodia Angkor Air and Sky Angkor Air are now the largest local airlines and are also the most established.
“Cambodia’s fleet will continue to expand rapidly over the next few years as passenger traffic grows rapidly, driven to a large extent by inbound demand from China,” the CAPA report notes.
But given Cambodia’s relatively small market, the report also warns that “it is hard to imagine a market the size of Cambodia supporting more than five airlines – let alone ten – over the long run.”
Cambodia’s aviation sector is growing rapidly, resulting in a fast expansion of the number of airlines in the country. Currently, there are no less than seven airlines in Cambodia, together operating a combined fleet of 30 aircraft. This is compared to two airlines operating seven aircraft four years ago, an unsustainable number in the long term, according to research released on February 27 by the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA). This year, the country plans to add three more airlines, which will bring the total number of operating carriers to ten. China-backed Cambodia Airways and KC International Airline and...
Cambodia’s aviation sector is growing rapidly, resulting in a fast expansion of the number of airlines in the country. Currently, there are no less than seven airlines in Cambodia, together operating a combined fleet of 30 aircraft. This is compared to two airlines operating seven aircraft four years ago, an unsustainable number in the long term, according to research released on February 27 by the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA).
This year, the country plans to add three more airlines, which will bring the total number of operating carriers to ten.
China-backed Cambodia Airways and KC International Airline and Thai-backed Air Siem Reap are set to enter the airspace. All three carriers are in the process of applying for their Cambodian air operating certificates. The overall Cambodian plane fleet will likely reach 40 aircraft by the end of 2018.
Existing JC International Airlines, an ambitious start-up which began operations less than a year ago and should not be confused with KC International Airline, could become the largest airline in Cambodia by the end of 2018, based on fleet size. Cambodia Angkor Air and Sky Angkor Air are now the largest local airlines and are also the most established.
“Cambodia’s fleet will continue to expand rapidly over the next few years as passenger traffic grows rapidly, driven to a large extent by inbound demand from China,” the CAPA report notes.
But given Cambodia’s relatively small market, the report also warns that “it is hard to imagine a market the size of Cambodia supporting more than five airlines – let alone ten – over the long run.”
