The Air Bagan, a Myanmar government- private joint venture (JV) domestic airline, is planning to stretch its wing to some regional destinations by November, a newly published news journal the Yangon Times reported Friday.

The Air Bagan, a JV between the Ministry of Transport and the Htoo Company of national entrepreneur, will add destinations to Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and Thailand in addition to domestic ones, sources with the airline was quoted as saying.

Preparations are underway for the move including increased purchase of aircraft and recruiting of air hostesses.

The Air Bagan, inaugurated in November 2004, has been flying Yangon-Mandalay, -Nyaung Oo, -Heho and -Thanthwe, using French- made ATR-42 aircraft and later extending services to Kengtung, Tachilek, Myeik, Kawthoung, Sittwe and Myitkyina.

The Air Bagan stands as the third domestic JV airline after Air Mandalay and Yangon Airways, while the Myanma Airways remains as the state-run domestic air carrier. Of the two prior domestic JV airlines, the Air Mandalay has extended its flight to Thailand's Chiang Mai as a regional one.

Meanwhile, there has also been three Myanmar-foreign JV airlines flying on international routes, namely the Myanmar Airways International (MAI), the United Myanmar Airlines (UMA) and the Air Myanmar.

Other foreign airlines that link Yangon include Air China, Malaysian Airlines, Thai Airways International, Silk Air, Biman ( Bangladesh), Indian Airlines, Lauda Air (Austria), Phuket Airlines (Thailand), Bangkok Airways and Qatar Airways (Middle-East).

Source: Xinhua