Chinese-invested airlines completes Cambodia demo flights

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia Bayon Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, announced Sunday that it had successfully completed demonstration flights of a MA60 aircraft between capital Phnom Penh and cultural province of Siem Reap.

The turboprop-powered aircraft on Sunday afternoon departed from Phnom Penh International Airport, and successfully landed in Siem Reap International Airport after 45 minutes, the Bayon Airlines said in a news statement.

After a short layover, the plane flew back from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh in the period of 50 minutes, the statement said.

"This means that all applications of an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) officially done, and the Bayon Airlines is welcoming formal operation soon," it said.

Passengers of this demo flights included Cambodian civil aviation officials and inspectors, Bayon Airlines leaders, as well as Chinese business people and members of the press.

The MA60 aircraft of Bayon Airlines is the first China-made aircraft imported by Cambodia.

The facilities inside the aircraft are very nice with two VIP seats and the space of the seats is larger than other aircraft, the statement said.

"The takeoff and landing went well, the flights went smoothly. All the guests enjoyed traveling with this plane," said a passenger.

The successful demo flights prove that Bayon Airlines has excellent aviation skills and an effective team, as well as high standards of international service.

"It was very successful with stable aircraft performance," said a Cambodian civil aviation official. "The flight indicators are in compliance with the assessment criteria, we will give an AOC to Bayon Airlines soon, so passengers can experience their better service sooner."

Bayon Airlines said that the official flights between capital Phnom Penh and Siem Reap province would be launched by the end of this month.

Bayon Airlines signed a contract to purchase 20 MA60 aircraft from Xi'an Aircraft Industry Co. in August.

Bayon Airlines's CEO Chen Hanwei said within five years, the airlines would use the 20 MA60 aircraft and 10 A320 trunk liners to cover domestic routes in Cambodia and to connect Cambodia to Southeast Asian countries and other Asian countries.