Lao Skyway (LK, Vientiane) has taken delivery of its first Airbus H125 helicopter thereby becoming the type's Laotian launch operator.

The Lao operator acquired two H125 from Airbus Helicopters (ECF, Marseilles) in August 2016, for use on both private and government missions, including domestic charter flights and search-and-rescue missions. The second H125 is expected to be delivered in May 2017.

“We are happy to find a trusted partner in Airbus for the past 15 years, and are excited to extend this relationship with the receipt of a brand new H125," Bounma Chanthavongsa, Managing Director of Lao Skyway, said in a prepared statement. “We are confident that our newly-acquired H125 from the same Ecureuil family that we have been operating will fulfil our varying missions, with its outstanding performance, multi-role capabilities and reliability”.

Formerly Lao Air (Vientiane), Lao Skyway is the only rotary-wing operator in Laos with a helicopter fleet that, aside from the H125, comprises five Airbus Eurocopter AS350B2s and four MI-17s. It also operates scheduled domestic passenger flights to Houeixay, Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Phongsaly, and Sam Neua using two MA60s.