Passengers gather for a photo at the ceremony marking the resumption of flights on the Lung Prabang-Bangkok route. --Photo Lao Airlines

Lao Airlines resumes flights on Luang Prabang-Bangkok route

Lao Airlines has resumed flights from Luang Prabang International Airport to the Thai capital of Bangkok for the first time since operations on international routes were suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The first flight on the route took off on Friday, and this was also the first international flight from Luang Prabang airport in the past three years.
The flights are scheduled three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Lao Airlines plans to increase the number of flights to accommodate an increase in travellers, according to Luangprabang News.
By October, flights on the Luang Prabang-Bangkok-Luang Prabang route will operate every day, and there will be three flights a week on the Luang Prabang-Chiang Mai (Thailand)-Luang Prabang route.
There will be four flights a week on the Luang Prabang-Hanoi (Vietnam)-Luang Prabang route, and three flights a week on the Luang Prabang- Siem Liep (Cambodia) route.
These increases are being made in anticipation of more passengers in these sectors following the reopening of Laos to foreign travellers. A surge in the number of visitors from the destination countries is expected.
According to the Facebook page of Lao Airlines, the company will operate flights from Vientiane to Bangkok, Hanoi, Incheon (South Korea) and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam). There will also be one flight from Pakxe city to Ho Chi Minh, and a flight from Luang Prabang to Bangkok in the rainy season. 
Air travel was one of the sectors hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic, especially due to strict measures put in place to prevent the spread of the outbreak in every country.
After Laos reopened to foreign nationals in May, more people have been coming to the country. Lao Airlines has increased flights to match the demand from passengers, and the flights from Vientiane to Incheon will be increased from two to three flights a week next month, while the flights from Vientiane to Bangkok will be increased to six flights a week by June 25.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update June 22, 2022)