Press Release

Sihanouk International Airport Upgrades Runway System, Readying For Future Growth

On October 13, 2020, a traditional Khmer blessing ceremony marks the works completion of the extension and renovation of the runway and its coming commissioning.

The international airport serving Cambodia’s main seaside resort and port city enters a new development phase. The runway has been fully upgraded including its extension to 3,300 meters from 2,500 meters, the strengthening of the current airstrip, and the installation of a LED airfield lighting system to reduce the carbon footprint. The commissioning of the runway, a US$ 58-million investment program, is scheduled in the last quarter of 2020.

Against the backdrop of the strong traffic growth, the runway project was launched in July 2018 and aims at accommodating larger aircraft (Code E) such as B-777-300ER or A-350-1000 operating long-haul direct flights to/from Sihanouk International Airport.

Between 2015 and 2019, passengers grew from 94,000 to 1.6+ million passengers and the airport had been experiencing triple digit growth nearly every year. In the last 5 years, Sihanoukville has become a destination in the making with its deep-sea port and pristine beaches, attracting both business investors and tourists.

Alain BRUN, CEO of Cambodia Airports, the company that develops and manages the Kingdom’s network of international airports, says: "To sustain the development of Sihanoukville, an efficient airport system and increasing air connectivity are critical. Upgrading the runway capacity provides new growth opportunities as airlines can operate bigger aircraft flying from/to more remote markets such as the European one."

About Cambodia Airports:

Under a public-private partnership signed with the Royal Government of Cambodia in 1995, Cambodia Airports holds the concession for the development and management of Cambodia’s network of international airports serving the capital city of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, home to the UNESCO World Heritage Angkor Archaeological Complex, and the port city and beach resort of Sihanoukville.

The shareholders of Cambodia Airports are France’s VINCI Airports (70%) and Muhibbah Masteron Cambodia (30%), a Malaysian-Cambodian joint venture.

In 2019, the number of passengers going through Cambodia’s international airports totaled nearly 11.6 million, 6+ million for Phnom Penh Airport and 3.9 million for Siem Reap Airport. From a low base but experiencing triple-digit growth, Sihanoukville International Airport handled more than 1.6+ million passengers. All 3 platforms serve 55+ destinations and welcome 700 regular flights per week.

More comprehensive information is available on www.cambodia-airports.com.

About Vinci Airports:

VINCI Airports, as the leading private airport operator in the world, manages the development and operation of 45 airports located in Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, France, Japan, Portugal, Serbia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Served by more than 250 airlines, VINCI Airports’ network handled 255 million passengers in 2019. Through its expertise as a comprehensive integrator, VINCI Airports develops, finances, builds, and operates airports, leveraging its investment capability and know-how to optimize the management and performance of existing airport infrastructure, facility extensions and modernization projects. In 2019, its annual revenue for managed activities amounted to Euros 4.9 billion, for consolidated revenue of Euros 2.6 billion.

More comprehensive information is available on www.vinci-airports.com.