Eva Air increases Cambodian flights

Taiwan-based airline Eva Air (長榮航空) became the latest airline to increase its number of Cambodian flights, a company spokesman said yesterday.

Eva Air has increased its flights from Phnom Penh to Taipei on McDonnell Douglas MD-90 jets to 12 per week, up from seven, after first trying to cope with passenger traffic by offering 10 flights per week, a spokesman for the airline in Phnom Penh said.

He said the airline, listed on the Taiwan Futures Exchange since 2001, is capitalizing on the popularity of its new Boeing 777-300ER fleet, which transports passengers from Taipei to the US, making the MD-90s available for use in Asia.

Transferring

"Although 20 percent of our passengers are Taiwanese on business or holiday, the majority are Cambodians transferring in Taipei to fly on to the US," the spokesman said by telephone.

He said the increase in flights had occurred during peak season, but at this stage the airline was looking to maintain the additional flights, with two flights a day leaving the capital five days a week.

`Open skies'

Although it staunchly supports a "one China" policy, Cambodia has also adopted an "open skies" policy regarding airlines that can utilize its two major international airports, leading to a massive increase in the country's air traffic.