MAI to fly to Bodh Gaya

by Mizzima News
Tuesday, 25 August 2009 19:07

Rangoon (Mizzima) – The ‘Myanmar International Airway’ (MAI) will launch a Rangoon-Bodh Gaya (India) flight from October 25.

The ticket reservation centre of the Burmese National Flag carrier said MAI will operate the Rangoon- Bodh Gaya flight twice a week - Wednesdays and Saturdays. The airfare is yet to be fixed.

“We are operating this flight as the number of pilgrims is increasing. We will fly two days a week initially and increase the frequency in keeping with the rise in passengers,” Mie Mie, an official at the MAI ticket reservation centre in Rangoon told Mizzima.

An official of the ‘Nilar’ Bodh Gaya pilgrimage tour said that the number of passengers visiting the Buddhist sacred place had increased since 2005. Bodh Gaya in India’s Bihar state, is considered a sacred place for Buddhists, as it is known as the land where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment.

The MAI is also reportedly planning to increase the frequency of the present Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur flights starting from the ensuing peak season. According to the proposal, the MAI will operate the Rangoon-Bangkok flight seven days a week from the current five days a week, starting October 25. The Rangoon-Kuala Lumpur flight will be increased to five days a week from the current four days.

Sources said the MAI is also gearing up to purchase new aircrafts as the airline is looking at expanding its flight network. MAI sources said, they are also negotiating with Air Bagan, which has stopped its business, for leasing their grounded airplanes.

The MAI currently has regular flights to Guanzhou and Kunming, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Kolkata and Taiwan. But the MAI is all set to expand its flights on the Mandalay-Chiang Mai, Rangoon-Gaya routes and is also negotiating with authorities to fly to Shanghai in China, Vietnam and Japan.