On October 26, Air Cambodia launched a new route linking Tokyo/Narita, Fuzhou, and Phnom Penh.
This fifth-freedom service via Fuzhou operates three roundtrips weekly on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The flights are operated with Airbus A320 aircraft configured with 170 seats in two classes (8 in business class and 162 in economy).
Outbound flight K6593 departs Tokyo/Narita at 8:00 p.m., arrives in Fuzhou at 11:30 p.m., departs at 12:30 a.m. the next day, and arrives in Phnom Penh at 2:55 a.m. The return flight K6592 departs Phnom Penh at 9:40 a.m., arrives in Fuzhou at 2:00 p.m., departs at 2:50 p.m., and arrives at Tokyo/Narita at 7:00 p.m. The total travel time is 8 hours 55 minutes from Tokyo/Narita and 7 hours 20 minutes from Phnom Penh. No change of aircraft is required in Fuzhou.
The airline plans to introduce two Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in 2029. While the service is currently operated as a one-stop due to the A320’s range, a switch to nonstop service is under consideration with the introduction of the 737 MAX.
The inaugural flight from Phnom Penh arrived at Narita Airport’s spot 16 at 7:48 p.m., 48 minutes behind schedule, and was welcomed with a water salute by fire trucks. The first outbound flight from Narita (the return sector) departed at 10:20 p.m., a delay of 2 hours and 20 minutes due to the late inbound and air traffic control instructions.
At the commemorative ceremony held at Narita Airport in Japan, Wendy Chen, Deputy CEO of Cambodia Airways, said, “This new route is not just a means of transportation between cities; it is a bridge of friendship, culture, and new opportunities connecting Cambodia and Japan.” She added, “Our aircraft carry not only people, but also Cambodian hospitality, a positive spirit, and pride in our culture. We are committed to providing safe, reliable, and heartfelt service.” Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Thuy Ly of the Embassy of Cambodia in Japan presented a bouquet to Deputy CEO Chen to celebrate the launch.
In Phnom Penh, operations at Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH), which had been in use since the 1950s, ended on September 8. The new Takmao Techo International Airport (KTI) opened on September 9, and all flights from the old airport were transferred to the new facility. Located about 25 kilometers south of the city center, the airport covers 2,600 hectares. At opening, it features a main terminal with 32 boarding gates and a single 4,000-meter runway, with an expected annual capacity of 13 million passengers. In the future, it aims to expand to three runways and handle up to 50 million passengers per year.
