Cambodia Angkor Air, the national carrier of the south-east Asian nation, has announced the launch of direct flights between Phnom Penh and New Delhi from June 16.

Cambodia Angkor Air, the national flag carrier of Cambodia, has announced the launch of direct flights between Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh and New Delhi from June 16, marking the first-ever direct connection between the two nations.

The announcement was made by Eng Molina, Chief Commercial Officer of Cambodia Angkor Air at a press conference held in New Delhi on Tuesday. Molina told media that the flights will be operated four times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays under the flight code K6760/K6761.

Molina added that Cambodia Angkor Air’s launch of direct flights, during the “Cambodia-India Cultural Tourism Year” of 2024, signified a profound step towards enhancing economic, cultural and tourist exchange between the two countries.

Though the airline is launching its flights to India with Delhi, it is looking to expand the services to other cities as well.

“Besides New Delhi, we are also considering cities like Mumbai and other Tier I cities like Kolkata, Bangalore,” Eng Molina, Chief Commercial Officer of Cambodia Angkor Air, tells India Outbound.

Molina adds that the pricing per person for a round trip from New Delhi to Phnom Penh is approximately INR 23,000. Such competitive pricing is aimed at increasing the accessibility and convenience of air travel for visitors between the two nations, he adds.

At the press conference, Kuong Koy, Ambassador of Cambodia to India said he was hopeful that the introduction of a direct flight between India and Cambodia could to potentially double of tourist flow year-on-year between the two nations annually. He also added that the direct flights facilitate Indian entrepreneurs to invest in Cambodia. Seila Hul, Under Secretary of State of Cambodia Ministry of Tourism, echoed the optimism and extended the warmest invitation to Indian tourists.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, around 75,000 people from India used to visit Cambodia every year, and the number is around 45,000 per year as per 2021 figures, the Ambassador says, adding that he expects more people from Cambodia seeking medical treatment to come to India because the cost of treatment is less as compared to neighbouring countries.

“It is my honour in deepening the traditional friendship between India and Cambodia through our historic direct service. We commit to warmly show ‘Khmer Smile’, providing safe and comfortable journeys, with plans to open new routes connecting Siem Reap to Delhi and Phnom Penh to other cities in India soon,” says David Yuhong Zhan, Director of Cambodia Tourism Board (CTB), Vice Chairman and CEO of Cambodia Angkor Air.

“This new route not only meets the growing demand for direct connectivity between Cambodia and India, but also reinforces our dedication to providing passengers with unparalleled service, comfort, and convenience,” he adds.