Lao Airlines set to open Vientiane-Singapore direct flight
Airbus 320
Lao Airlines is to launch direct flights from Vientiane to Singapore at the end of the year, giving a major boost to economic cooperation between the two Asean members.
Lao Airlines Planning and Cooperation Department Head Mr Noudeng Chanthaphasouk said yesterday that the company had filed a request with Singaporean authorities to open a representative office in Singapore.
“Singapore has approved our request in principle,” he told Vientiane Times yesterday, adding that the company has already appointed the representative office head for Singapore, who will begin work next month on preparing for the launch of the three-hour route.
Mr Noudeng said that the company will use an Airbus A320 aircraft to fly the Wattay to Changi International Airport route, adding that the 140 seat French-built aircraft will arrive in Vientiane in October before the route takes off in November.
He said that the airline will operate three flights a week from Vientiane to Singapore on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays after market research showed that demand for a direct flight between Laos and Singapore is on the increase due to the strengthened relations and economic cooperation between the two nations.
The decision means that direct flights between the two countries will return for first time since SinAir of Singapore cancelled the route in the 1990s.
Mr Noudeng said that Lao Airlines had conducted a feasibility study for the route; finding out the majority of customers would be diplomats, business people and international tourists wanting to visit Laos via Changi International Airport.
“Changi International Airport is one of the top transit airports in the region and the new flight will mean it is now possible to take passengers directly from the airport to Laos,” he said.
He also said a large number of Lao people living in the United States, Canada and Europe would fly to Singapore before continuing on a direct flight to Vientiane, adding that the new route will make travel cheaper.
Singaporean investment is increasing in Laos including the construction of an extension to the Talat Sao Shopping Mall in Vientiane, which is expected to open by the end of this year. Another Singaporean firm also plans to build a new market near Sikhai market in Sikhottabong district, Vientiane.
According to a report from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Singapore is the 10th largest foreign investor in Laos with an investment value of about US$113 million from 2000 to 2009.
The Lao government is working hard to directly connect Laos to other Asean capital cities in order to reduce the over reliance on Thailand as a transit hub for Laos-bound travellers. The closure of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport during political unrest a few years ago led directly to a reduction of the number of international tourists in Laos.
Lao Airlines also reopened Vientiane-Xishuangbanna direct flights in July after the route was closed due to low passenger numbers a few years ago.
By Times Reporters
Posted by samakomlao
on 9:20 AM. Filed under
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Its very good for Laonoks especially myself, I love to fly into Singapore and connecting flight there to Laos.
There we go my man... Finally we can go VTE w/out being stopped over in BKK. I'd definitely go and support Lao Airline any time I go home from the state. 3 times a week is not bad to start out with. Hopefully the schedule will increase as the demand getting stronger.
Good luck der Lao Airline. I'll see U in November when I go home.
This is a genius business idea and I want their open diect fly from Lao to Korea also because it close to me I live in Atlanta aiport, and I had many fly with korea airline is excellent service.
Oh...don't u worried about that my man! It's coming in the near future, from ICN-HKG-VTE. It may not be a direct flight that u have been asking 4, VIA HKG is till better than no flight at all. I love to fly to Seoul too, it's wonderful city
and Korean Air is excellent in service. Unlike the U.S. carriers, the quality is sucked.
What's that U said? U live in the Atlanta Airport? Oh man that must be really suck huh? I've never seen pple live in the Airport, How can they sleep w/all the noise? I hate that Atlanta Hartsfield. It's the busiest Airport in the world no doubt about that. 2nd is Beijing and Chicago coming in 3rd, then London Heathrow in 4th respectively.