Imphal-Mandalay flight on Nov 23
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 13 2019: Proprietor of KB Enterprises, Pangambam Kunjabihari, has announced that the firm will launch its Imphal-Mandalay chartered flight service on November 23 in a bid to secure an air link for Manipur with South East Asian countries.

Speaking to media persons at his office at MG Avenue today, Kunjabihari said that KB Enterprises signed an MoU with Myanmar based Air Kanbawza (Air KBZ) for the particular chartered flight service on July 3 this year.

Ever since Tulihal airport become an international airport on November 21, 2013, KB Enterprises has operated 9 chartered flight services between Imphal and Mandalay.

After the first flight service for this year is launched on November 23, it will be continued on November 27 and 30, he informed.

He continued that the Director General of Civil Aviation usually does not approve more than 3 or 4 such chartered flights, but KB Enterprises has sent an application requesting for more number of flights.

The step was taken due to the encouragement and assurance from Chief Minister N Biren and the Transport Department, he added.

Even though Imphal airport has reached international status, there is still no scheduled flight service with Mandalay till date.

This will require a revision of the Bilateral Flight Services Agreement which was signed between the two parties.

This was discussed with the Chief Minister and a letter has been sent to the Civil Aviation Ministry regarding the same.

Kunjabihari explained that if Imphal is properly linked with Mandalay, it will facilitate easy domestic and cargo link with China, Bangkok and Singapore.

Now is the perfect time to grasp this opportunity.

Other service providers might be reluctant to launch such services owing to the trouble of ensuring a revision of the Bilateral Flight Services Agreement and the possible lack of passengers, he claimed.

He further explained that even if the price of the chartered flight is high, the air fare might reduce further if scheduled flight services become a reality between the two regions.

Replying to a query, Kunjabihari clarified that the planned launch of the chartered flight service is not related to Manipur Sangai Festival.

However, the service will be of immense conveniences to the Manipuris living in Myanmar as well as tourists, he added.

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