Lao Central Airlines Takes Off

Lao Central Airlines (LCA) wasted no time in getting off the ground after taking delivery of its second jet on 27 December 2011, running a special inaugural flight from Vientiane to Luang Prabang on Friday, 30 December.

LCA CEO Savanhphone Phongsavanh said the trip, whose passengers included 99 monks and visitors, flew on the airline’s 168-seat Boeing 737-400, just a few days after its arrival, according to an Asian News Network report.

The privately-owned airline will organize a similar trip from Vientiane to Pakxe in Laos’ southern Champasak Province this month.

LCA board member, Thonsay Inthisane, told the local press, “We will officially launch…after the tour to Pakxe,” adding that this could occur “by the end of this month,” when the airline plans to introduce service on the Vientiane-Bangkok route, followed by flights to Cambodia, China, Vietnam, and Singapore.

The launch is awaiting preparations for ticket sales and services, but now that LCA has two planes, as required by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the airline can offer flights.

Mr Thongsay said the current fleet includes two Boeing 737-400s, which will mostly be used for regional services, “and two 19-seat aircraft that will mainly serve the domestic market.”

In May 2010, LCA placed an order for three Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet-100s for delivery in the second half of this year.

TTR Weekly recently talked to an official at Thailand’s Department of Civil Aviation, who confirmed the airline had requested time slots at Suvarnabhumi Airport, but had not yet confirmed a flight schedule.

Source: Asia News Network, TTR Weekly (Rapeepat Mantanarat)

For more information:

Visit: www.tourismlaos.org