Small Planet Airlines (Vilnius) has, for the time being, abandoned plans to secure a Thai Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) Steve Kim, the Chief Commercial Officer for the Lithuanian carrier’s operations in Cambodia, has said.
In an interview with the Khmer Times, Kim said the Thai government's decision to suspend the issuance of AOCs had forced Small Planet Airlines to reconsider its southeast Asian operations and instead seek an AOC in neighbouring Cambodia.
“Small Planet didn’t get an AOC in Thailand because the Thai government has stopped issuing certificates," he said. "So it was only natural that they would look to Cambodia. In the future the company will reapply to Thailand while we continue to focus on international flights.”
According to Khim Sophorn, an official in Cambodia's State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), Small Planet's application for an AOC has already received approval in principle from the country's government giving credence to Kim's claims of a possible January 2017 issuance.
Small Planet Airlines Cambodia (LKH, Phnom Penh) will focus on the local ACMI market as well as running charter flights from Siem Reap to South Korea and China. Two aircraft, presumably A320s, will likely be based in country, Kim added.
Small Planet Airlines made its first foray into the Cambodian market in September last year when it signed a five-year deal with Sky Angkor Airlines (ZA, Phnom Penh Techo International) to base four A320s out of Siem Reap during Europe’s winter off-season.
This winter season, in addition to continuing its cooperation with Sky Angkor, Small Planet Airlines is also looking at assisting Cambodia Angkor Air (Siem Reap).
