First half of the year sees landmark growth
All three of Cambodia’s airports saw a surge in number of passengers and cargo in the first half of 2018.
Despite it being monsoon season in Cambodia, rapid growth at our airports has not dampened. In the month of July, all three airports witnessed an increase in number of passengers, with Sihanouk International seeing a 35 percent surge from the same month last year. Passenger growth at Phnom Penh International Airport grew by 15 percent, while Siem Reap maintained its steady flow of foot traffic this low season with a 1 percent increase. Cargo shipments also soared with 25 percent growth, as Phnom Penh led the charge by setting a staggering new record of more than 7,500 tonnes in a single month.
This incredible growth marked the conclusion of an overwhelmingly successful first half of 2018, during which overall traffic activity across each of the airports grew at an average rate of 20 percent. And as more and more airlines begin to launch and expand their services in the Kingdom, increasing opportunity for both domestic and international travel, overall growth promises to continue in the second half of the year.
When Cambodia Airways commenced operations in mid-July, it became only the second airline to offer a link between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville and one of five airlines offering daily flights between Siem Reap and the capital. It also expanded access to the glittering Chinese city of Macau by opening up consistent routes to the city via all three airports, launching a trice weekly flight from Sihanoukville, a daily flight from Siem Reap and four flights a week from Phnom Penh.
Other airlines also extended their services in July, further linking Cambodia to China’s most sizable and alluring cities. Two Chinese carriers opened routes to the city of Kunming, while domestic airlines JC International and Lanmei Airlines launched thrice weekly flights between Siem Reap and Qinghuangdao and Tianjin, respectively.