DrukAir, also known as Royal Bhutan Airlines and the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bhutan, has placed an order for Airbus A320neo and A321XLR aircraft.
Drukair getting A320neo and A321XLR aircraft
DrukAir, a fully owned subsidiary of the state holding company Druk Holding and Investments Limited (DHI), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for 3 A320neo and 2 A321XLR aircraft to expand its international network.
Drukair already operates four Airbus A320 Family aircraft consisting of three A319s and one A320. The five new aircraft are scheduled to be delivered 2030 onwards. The airline plans to fly these aircraft out of Paro International Airport and the new airport at Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), envisioned to become Bhutan’s futuristic economic hub.
We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter in Drukair’s history, which dovetails perfectly with development of the Gelephu Mindfulness City and work to expand the Gelephu airport. Our investment in these state-of-the-art aircraft underscores our dedication to supporting Bhutan’s vision of holistic and mindful development.
Tandi Wangchuk, Chief Executive Officer, Drukair said.
Based on His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck’s vision, GMC, located in the southern plains of Bhutan, is “emerging as a new economic engine for the Kingdom”.
We are grateful to Drukair for reaffirming their trust in Airbus to power their next phase of growth. Airbus has been a long-standing partner of Bhutan and we are extremely proud that our latest generation aircraft will be a part of the Kingdom’s next chapter of development, connecting the Gelephu Mindfulness City to the rest of the world.
Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Executive Vice President – Sales of Airbus Commercial Aircraft business said.
Drukair is headquartered in Paro, Bhutan, and operates scheduled flights to 10 international destinations, including five countries in the South Asian region. The flag carrier also operates to three domestic destinations.
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Long-haul ambitions?
The Airbus A321XLR (Extra Long Range) aircraft is a true “game-changer” in many ways. It helps airlines like Drukair to open new markets and fly to long-haul destinations where the market is not big enough that the airline can fill probably a A330 or A350 but is sizable enough to fill a A321 and still operate profitably.
With this order, Drukair’s ambitions to go long-haul are clear. The airline says that it plans to use these aircraft for flights to Europe, South East Asia and Australia. While it already serves South East Asian market, Europe and Australia are highly lucrative markets.
In the first quarter of 2024, India accounted for nearly 60% arrivals. The remaining 40% traffic came from U.S., China, the UK, Germany, Singapore, France, Italy, Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia and Canada. While Drukair already serves Delhi and Kolkata in India with seasonal flights to Mumbai, Gaya, Bagdogra and Guwahati, the airline only serves Bangkok and Singapore in South East Asia.
With these additional aircraft, it may be able to open new markets and capture more opportunities that other markets like Australia and Europe present.
Featured image by Airbus
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