10 reviews
Hello Dear Reader,
This is the report of the domestic flight K6 130 from Sihanouk International Airport (IATA: KOS, ICAO: VDSV) to Siem Reap International Airport (IATA: REP, ICAO: VDSR) with Cambodia Angkor Air (IATA: K6, ICAO: KHV), in Economy class, on Mar/08th 2020.
The airline was founded almost 11 years ago, in 2009 and is based at Phnom Penh International Airport (IATA: PNH, ICAO: VDPP).
Is it owned by the Cambodian Government (51%) and previously by Vietnam Airlines (49%). The National airline from Vietnam recently sold is stake to an undisclosed company.
Currently has a fleet of 6 airplanes: 2 Airbus A320 from 2016, 1 A321 from 2012 and 3 ATR 72-600 from 2009 (which were operating previously for Vietnam Airlines). The average age of the fleet is 7,5 years and operates routes to 17 destinations.
Check my video with the full flight report:
The small Sihanouk International Airport has 1 main terminal and 1 runway.
Is located 23km southeast of Sihanoukville, the best place to reach Koh Rong Island.
Last year, they had a 158% increase in the passengers for 1,7 millions and 17.824 passengers.
From its 6 check-in counters, this flight had assigned the counters 3, 4 and 5.
For this flight was possible to check-in online but no boarding passed was issued.
After check-in, I proceeded to the X-Ray screening.
The domestic terminal, on the ground floor, after security, has a duty free area and the waiting area for gates 1 and 2 and on the 1st floor a bigger waiting area with 2 shops and 1 cafe and 1 restaurant, with a panoramic view to the apron and runway. This airport has no lounge.
The boarding gate was supposed to be the number 4 on the first floor but right before boarding they changed it to number 1. I think they did for the passengers to be waiting on the first floor where are located most of the stores and the restaurant.
The airplane from the outbound flight, Siem Reap, arrived at 11:00 (1h before the scheduled departure time)
The schedule boarding time was at 11h35 but only started 10 minutes later.
This flight was operated by an Airbus A321-231 (powered by IAE V2500 engines), Registration XU-350, with 7,4 years old. The cabin was divided by 4 rows of Business Class with the high-comfort seat on medium haul airplanes and 27 rows of Economy class. I was seated at 11A, the second row of the Economy Class, in this almost empty aircraft due to the Corona Virus outbreak and the reduction of tourism in Asia.
This airplane also had inflight entertainment system installed with monitors in the Passenger Service unit, which is not very often seen nowadays on the A320 Family across the world.
The aircraft pushed-back 11:59 and taxied to the runway 21.
The actual departure time was at 12:05, exactly on time.
After take-off, the airplane flew over the coast and then headed towards Siem Reap
10 min after departure the crew handed over a bottle of water.
After a couple of minutes in cruise the aircraft started the descent.
The aircraft landed on Runway 05 at Siem Reap at 12h42, 23 before scheduled arrived (at 13h05), and with a flight time of 37 minutes: one of the shortest flights I ever had.
Siem Reap International Airport has the domestic and international terminals and 1 runways.
In 2019 had 3,9 million passengers (a 12% decrease compared with 2018) and 39.750 movements (a 10% decrease)
The disembark was made by the stairs and then walking to the domestic terminal where was the luggage carousel.
Thank you very much for browsing through my flight report,
Fábio Conceição
(Data source: Airfleets.net, Wikipedia.org, Airports and Airline’s Website)
This short flight, unfortunately empty due to Corona outbreak, was uneventful but really enjoyed to fly with Cambodia Angkor Air, an almost unknown airline. Both airports looked very modern and with the western standards we are used, mostly because they are managed by the French group Vinci.
6 Comments
A lot of planes out there! It must have been difficult for such a little airport to deal with 1.7 million passengers before coronavirus!
That was the beginning of difficult times for many passengers!! I'm glad to see you were lucky and were able to board your flights!!
You are completely right. I have no idea what you are talking about! hahah What is the Passenger Service Unit? Is it the overhead panel?
They were very kind to hand over at least a bottle of water in such a short flight. Looks like it was a nice experience, especially on such an empty plane, with lots of space for yourself!
Thanks for sharing! :D
This town has a lot of construction works going on and is booming! The Chinese invested a lot and soon will be the next Resort area and they’ll build a new terminal do accommodate this growing traffic. Hopefully soon, because this overwhelming situation is sinking our airlines...
The Passenger Service Unit (PSU) is the name of the “overhead panels” which integrates all the units for the passengers like reading lights, attendant call, n/s & fsb signs and in this airplane the monitors! I miss it a lot in Europe I have to say ?
Yes, in economy also, because this airplane is from Vietnam Airlines and is leased to Cambodian Angkor Airlines. VN was basically leasing most of the airplanes & also staff. In return VN was controlling most of the market, but now the future of K6 is a bit uncertain because VN sold it position in the company... hope they’ll resist to this “nightmare”
Thanks for sharing this report on a rare airline!
I specially booked this flight, instead of going by bus to Siem Reap, because I really wanted to have the chance to fly with such unknown airline in the western world. Most probably they kept the interior because of the maintenance costs of the cabin retrofit, get the material and certification. Additionally, they would have to keep all the material to restore the cabin back in case they have to return the aircraft back to VN. This option also allows them to offer a premium service in Business Class.
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