The Managing Director of the Lao Airlines, Mr Khamla Phommavanh (right), presents a model of an aircraft to Vietjet Air’s Managing Director, Mr Dinh Viet Phuong, during a recent visit to the company in Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam.     --Photo Lao Airlines

Lao Airlines eyes increase in international routes

Lao Airlines, the national airline, is seeking to increase its flights to Vietnam following the recent resumption of its operations on international routes, which were suspended over the past three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the context of its plans to expand flights to neighbouring Vietnam, a Lao delegation recently visited the Vietnam-based ticket representative office, business partners and the branch of the Lao Airlines in Ho Chi Minh City.
The delegation was led by Lao Airlines’ Managing Director, Mr Khamla Phommavanh, and included senior management officials, according to the airlines’ Facebook page.
During the visit, Mr Khamla  conveyed his sincere thanks for the patronage and cooperation of the representative office after the resumption of flights.
He also thanked travellers and tourists for using the services operated by Lao Airlines in association with shareholders and partners.
During the trip, the delegation met the leaders of the Aerotechnic Indochina Pte Ltd to discuss future cooperation in engineering and aircraft maintenance. The CEO of InteliSys Aviation Systems, Mr Frank Kays, met the Lao delegation and discussed the continuation of improvements in the passenger service system of Lao Airlines.
The delegation also met the Managing Director of Vietjet Air, Mr Minh Viet Phuong, and exchanged ideas on the recovery of regional airlines in areas impacted by the pandemic.
Both sides discussed numerous issues related to cooperation in maintenance, and commercial and marketing strategies to expand the network of the two airlines.
Mr Phuong, on behalf of the Vietjet Air, told the Lao delegation that the Vietnamese side will continue to coordinate and cooperate with the Lao Airlines as part of efforts that will benefit the two airlines.
According to the current flight schedule of the Lao Airlines, there are two flights every week – on Tuesday and Saturday – on the Vientiane-Ho Chi Minh route (with one stop at Pakxe).
There are also two flights every week on the Ho Chi Minh-Vientiane route (with one stop at Pakxe), two flights a week on the Pakxe-Ho Chi Minh route, and two flights a week on the Ho Chi Minh-Pakxe route. All these flights are operated on Tuesday and Saturday.
According to the updated winter schedule for 2022-23, Lao Airlines also operates international flights to Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand, Hanoi in Vietnam, Siem Reap in Cambodia, Incheon in the Republic of Korea and Kunming in China.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update September 23, 2022)